Immobilization of membrane proteins onto supports via an amphiphile

ABSTRACT

The invention pertains to the field of membrane protein immobilization onto supports. It relates to a product comprising a support and at least one membrane protein attached to the surface thereof, characterized in that said membrane protein is attached to said support using an amphiphilic molecule with which said membrane protein is complexed. It also relates to a process for preparing such product, as well as to various applications in the fields of diagnosis, drug design and biotechnologies. It further relates to a kit, together with a functionalized amphiphilic molecule, for preparing a product according to the invention comprising a support and an amphiphilic molecule, wherein the amphiphilic molecule and the support interact through a hydrophobic bond, an ionic bond, a specific bond or a covalent bond.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention pertains to the field of membrane protein immobilizationonto supports. It relates to a product comprising a support and at leastone membrane protein attached to the surface thereof, characterized inthat said membrane protein is attached to said support using anamphiphilic molecule with which said membrane protein is complexed. Italso relates to a process for preparing such product, as well as tovarious applications in the fields of diagnosis, drug design andbiotechnologies. It further relates to a kit, together with afunctionalized amphiphilic molecule, for preparing a product accordingto the invention comprising a support and an amphiphilic molecule,wherein the amphiphilic molecule and the support interact through ahydrophobic bond, an ionic bond, a specific bond or a covalent bond.

BACKGROUND ART

Integral membrane proteins represent about 30% of the coding sequencesof eukaryotic genomes. Their functions, and especially those of theseproteins which are inserted into the cell plasma membrane and exposed tothe outside environment, have such an importance that they areprivileged targets in the fields of biomedical sciences andpharmacology. They are in fact thought to be the target for at least 60%of the therapeutic agents currently commercially available. Membraneproteins serve in particular as binding sites, attachment points orprivileged targets for multiple interactions. These range fromrecognizing small ligands, such as neurotransmitters or hormones, tocell association into tissues. Membrane proteins are further most oftenthe first target for viruses, pathogenic bacteria or parasites, orantibodies during immune defense or autoimmune diseases. They can alsobe involved in membrane/DNA or membrane/cytoskeleton association, inregulation or deregulation of cell division (cancers), and they arerecognized by macromolecular effectors such as G proteins or kinesins.

Due to their importance in the fields of biomedical sciences andpharmacology, it is absolutely essential to provide tools for studyingmembrane proteins and their ligands. In particular, it is important tobe able to detect ligand binding to a membrane protein of interest. Infact, a process for detecting ligand binding has several very valuableapplications:

-   -   in the case where the membrane protein is derived from the        membrane of a pathogenic agent, such a process may be useful to        detect in a biological sample obtained from a subject the        presence or absence of antibodies raised against this membrane        protein, and accordingly the presence or absence of an        exposition of the subject to the pathogenic agent;    -   in the case of a human or animal membrane receptor shown to be        involved in the pathogenesis of a disease and therefore        providing a therapeutic target for the treatment of such        disease, such a process may be useful to screen compound        libraries so as to identify agonist or antagonist compounds for        this membrane receptor.

To carry out a process for detecting ligand binding to a membraneprotein, it is very useful to have this membrane protein immobilizedonto a support. It has been long known how to attach or immobilizesoluble proteins onto supports. However, the problem is more complex formembrane proteins. In fact, membrane proteins necessarily expose highlyhydrophobic surfaces that, in situ, interact with the membrane, whichmakes their handling difficult, particularly in that it is generallynecessary to use high amounts of detergents to isolate them from themembrane and to make them soluble. Compared to cytosolic proteins, theirhandling and accordingly their immobilization on a support is made a lotmore strenuous due to their hydrophobicity.

Different immobilization techniques have been developed to depositmembrane proteins on the surface of a support. For example, bygenetically or chemically modifying the protein, a functional group canbe inserted at one of the extremities of the protein polypeptide chainso as to promote protein adhesion to the surface of a functionalizedsupport (for example, by introducing a terminal His-Tag on the protein,which will interact with a support grafted with NTA groups coordinatingNi²⁺ or Co²⁺ ions) (1.2).

However, such a technique relies on the possibility of genetically orchemically modifying the protein of interest, and is thus difficult orimpossible to implement for a membrane protein about which littleinformation is available. Furthermore, since genetically or chemicallymodifying a protein involves a number of steps this can be cumbersomeand tedious. Lastly, its development should be repeated for each proteinof interest and accordingly this technique cannot be used eitherroutinely or for a large number of membrane proteins simultaneously.

In another technique, it is possible, by maintaining the protein in itsoriginal cell membrane, or by inserting it into an artificial membrane(for example, a vesicle), to promote protein adhesion onto a supportgrafted with hydrophobic chains via interactions between the chains andthe membrane (3-5). A further technique comprises utilizing the chargeproperties of extra-membrane domains of the protein, or hydrophilicheads of lipids of the membrane in which the protein is inserted, topromote simple electrostatic interactions with a charged support.

However, for both these techniques, either the protein is extracted fromthe membrane, and it is generally absolutely necessary to work in thepresence of a detergent, which makes the immobilization methodsconsiderably more complex, both because the solution properties arealtered (for example by reducing the surface tension of the solutions,which can make the spotting of the proteins at the surface of the chipsinaccurate) and because the presence of detergent affects the stabilityof a number of membrane proteins (particularly membrane complexes), orproteins inserted into natural or synthetic membranes (lipid vesicles)are used, and the technique is thus intricate and raises a sensitivityproblem: the low density of the protein of interest may decrease thesignal/noise ratio of the experiment, and the presence of undesirablecomponents in the case of natural membranes (other proteins, a largevariety of natural lipids, various cofactors) may introduce aninterference between the experimental signal and adverse side reactionsand background noise.

As a result, it is clear that the existing immobilization (orattachment) methods of membrane proteins onto supports areunsatisfactory. There is therefore a need for a process for attachingmembrane proteins on supports which overcomes the above-mentioneddrawbacks, i.e. for a process having the following characteristics:

-   -   a process for maintaining membrane proteins in a completely        detergent-free water-soluble and biochemically stabilized form,        thus making the method simpler and preventing membrane proteins        from destabilizing,    -   a universal process, applicable to any membrane protein, without        any particular adjustment of the experimental method to each        protein and without the need for any protein modification, which        can thus be used including when the protein is not fully known        or when its biochemistry and its genetics are not controlled,        and    -   a process for attaching membrane proteins to the surface of a        support with a high density, resulting in better yields and a        better sensitivity of the experimental results and accordingly a        better interpretation of the data.

Amphipols are polymeric amphiphiles having a good solubility, a numberof hydrophobic side chains, and molecular dimensions and flexibility soas to enable them to combine at multiple points with the hydrophobictransmembrane surface of membrane proteins (FIG. 1, references 6, 7).The principle of multi-point attachment is to guarantee that desorptionkinetics is very slow, so as to make the combination between themembrane protein and the amphipol essentially irreversible.

Furthermore, it has been shown that this approach is universal, whichmeans that all membrane proteins tested to date, i.e. more than twenty,can be maintained in solution in the form of amphipol complexes (7, 8).Furthermore, the resulting trapped proteins maintain their nativestructure, remain soluble in the absence of free surfactant in thesolution (7-9), and their stability is at worst matched but most oftenimproved compared to keeping in detergent solution (7, 8, 10). Lastly,when a mixture of membrane proteins is trapped by amphipols underappropriate conditions, all membrane proteins in the mixture are trappedseparately (8).

Amphipols are therefore a tool for stabilizing in a solution anymembrane protein, irrespective of its structure, function and/or origin.However, they have only been used to date for solubilizing membraneproteins and for engineering them in a solution, or for stabilizing themtemporarily, and no study has ever been disclosed as to the possibilityof further using them as intermediates mediating membrane proteinattachment to a support. On the contrary, up to now, amphipols have onlybeen used in order to provide water-soluble complexes, that can movefreely in a solution, from membrane proteins naturally insoluble inaqueous media, for temporarily stabilizing such membrane proteins inlipid membrane regeneration experiments (11), or for stabilizing suchbiotinylated membrane proteins attached through usual biotin/avidininteraction on a solid support, with amphipol only being used tostabilize the protein and not being at all involved in the combinationof the membrane protein to the solid support (8).

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The inventors have found that it is further possible to use an amphipolcomplexed with a membrane protein as an intermediate for attaching thismembrane protein onto a support, the binding to the support being donethrough the amphipol.

The use of an amphipol as an intermediate for binding to the support hasnumerous advantages compared with known techniques. The first majoradvantage is that this process is usable without any change in themethod to any membrane protein, irrespective of its origin or whetherinformation is available on this protein or not. In particular, theprocess is applicable even to a membrane protein the identity of whichis unknown. Furthermore, the process is carried out easily, inparticular as there is no need to use a detergent in the attachment stepof the membrane protein/amphipol complex to the support. This processalso provides the attachment of the membrane proteins at the surface ofa support with a high density, thus achieving better yields and aboveall a better sensitivity of the binding assay results of ligands ontothe immobilized membrane protein.

Lastly, the presence of amphipols complexed with membrane proteinsguarantees their biochemical stabilization, thus also allowing a greateraccuracy and reproducibility of the binding assay results of ligands onthe immobilized membrane protein.

The process developed by the inventors thus allows to readily produce,with a high density, products comprising a support and one or more knownor unknown membrane proteins of any kind, attached to the surfacethereof, wherein the membrane proteins are further biochemicallystabilized in an aqueous medium, thereby making it much easier to carryout binding assay experiments of ligands on immobilized membraneproteins using the product obtained.

Thus, the invention relates to a product comprising a support and atleast one membrane protein attached to the surface thereof,characterized in that said membrane protein is attached to said supportusing an amphiphilic molecule with which said membrane protein iscomplexed.

The term <<amphiphilic>> relates to an organic molecule displaying bothhydrophilic and hydrophobic properties mediated by different portions ofthe molecule. Thus, an <<amphiphilic>> molecule (also called an“amphiphile”) generally comprises one or more hydrophilic groups and oneor more hydrophobic groups.

In the present case, the hydrophobic groups of the amphiphilic moleculebind it to the membrane protein, the transmembrane surface of which ishydrophobic per se, and the hydrophilic groups provide solubilization ofthe whole amphiphilic molecule/membrane protein complex. Preferably, theamphiphilic molecule comprises a number of hydrophobic side chains,enabling it to combine at a plurality of points with the hydrophobictransmembrane surface of membrane proteins, this multiple attachmentresulting in very slow desorption kinetics, which makes the combinationessentially irreversible. Advantageously, the number of hydrophobic sidechains is greater than 10.

Furthermore, the amphiphilic molecule preferably further comprisesnumerous hydrophilic groups for solubilizing the amphiphilicmolecule/membrane protein complex. Advantageously, the number ofhydrophilic groups is greater than 20.

Preferably, the ratio of the number of hydrophobic side chains to thenumber of hydrophilic groups is between 0.25 and 2.5; preferably between0.25 and 2; between 0.25 and 1.5; between 0.25 and 1; or more preferablybetween 0.25 and 0.5.

Advantageously also, the amphiphilic molecules used to provide a productaccording to the invention have molecular dimensions and a flexibilitywhich make it possible for them to combine at a plurality of points withthe hydrophobic transmembrane surface of the proteins. Accordingly,suitable amphiphilic molecules for carrying out the present inventioncomprise in particular amphiphilic polymers of all kinds. In this case,the basic structure of the polymer should be substituted with variousgroups having hydrophilic or hydrophobic properties, or being themselvesamphiphilic. Thus, an admissible amphiphilic polymer should have one ormore hydrophilic side chains, as well as one or more hydrophobic oramphiphilic side chains. Preferably, the ratio of the number ofhydrophobic or amphiphilic side chains to the number of hydrophilic sidechains should be between 0.25 and 2.5; preferably between 0.25 and 2;between 0.25 and 1.5; between 0.25 and 1; or more preferably between0.25 and 0.5.

Admissible amphiphilic polymers include in particular amphiphilic vinylpolymers, amphiphilic polypeptides, amphiphilic polysaccharides, andamphiphilic dendrimers. Thus, in an advantageous embodiment of a productaccording to the invention, the amphiphilic molecule is selected from anamphiphilic vinyl polymer, an amphiphilic polypeptide, an amphiphilicpolysaccharide, or an amphiphilic dendrimer.

The term <<vinyl polymer>> relates to a polymer consisting of units ofthe —(CH₂—)_(n)—CRaR_(b)— type, wherein R_(a) and R_(b) are varioussubstituents and n is a integer ranging from at least 1. Advantageously,n is between 1 and 3, more advantageously, n=1.

In a preferred embodiment, the amphiphilic molecule is an amphiphilicvinyl polymer, i.e. a vinyl polymer with one or more substituents havinga hydrophilic character and one or more others having a hydrophobiccharacter.

Preferably, the amphiphilic molecule is a vinyl polymer of the formula(I):

wherein:Ra₁ to Ra_(n), are the same or different, and represent a hydrogen atom,or a methyl radical:Rb₁ to Rb_(n) are different and selected from:

-   -   a hydrophilic group selected from        -   a carboxylate radical —COO⁻M⁺, a sulfonate radical —SO₃ ⁻M⁺,            or a phosphonate radical —PO₃ ⁻M⁺, where M⁺ is a cationic            counter-ion,        -   a (C₁-C₅) alkylcarboxylate radical, a (C₁-C₅) alkylsulfonate            radical, or a (C₁-C₅) alkylphosphonate radical        -   a phenylsulfonate        -   CONRc1Rc2, where Rc1 and Rc2, which may be the same or            different, represent a (—C(CH₂ORd1)(CH₂ORd2)(CH₂ORd3))            radical, where Rd1, Rd2 and Rd3 represent independently a            hydrogen atom, a sugar moiety, a polyoxyalkylene, in            particular polyoxyethylene, containing from 4 to 10 alkylene            oxide units, a zwitterionic radical, a primary, secondary or            tertiary hydroxyalkyl —(CH₂)mOH, where m is within the range            of 1 to 4, a (C₁-C₅) alkylcarboxylate radical, a (C₁-C₅)            alkylsulfonate radical or a (C₁-C₅) alkylphosphonate            radical, a sugar moiety        -   COORe, wherein Re represents a sugar moiety, a primary,            secondary or tertiary hydroxyalkyl —(CH₂)mOH, where m is            within the range of 1 to 4, a polyoxyalkylene, in particular            polyoxyethylene, having 4 to 10 alkylene oxide units, a            (CH₂)t-NRf1Rf2 radical, where t is an integer from 1 to 5,            and Rf1, Rf1, which may be the same or different, represent            a hydrogen atom or a (C1-C4)alkyl radical,        -   a hydroxyl group        -   a primary, secondary or tertiary hydroxyalkyl —(CH₂)mOH,            where m is within the range of 1 to 4,        -   a primary, secondary, tertiary amine        -   a quaternary ammonium        -   N-formamide, N-alkylformamide,        -   N-acetamide, N-alkylacetamide,        -   N-pyrrolidonyl,        -   CONRg1Rg2, where Rg1 and Rg2, which may be the same or            different, are a hydrogen atom, a sugar moiety, a            polyoxyalkylene, in particular polyoxyethylene, containing            from 4 to 10 alkylene oxide units, a zwitterionic radical, a            primary, secondary or tertiary hydroxyalkyl —(CH₂)mOH, where            m is within the range of 1 to 4,        -   COORh or CONRkRl, where Rh represents a (C₁-C₅) alkyl            radical, an alkylsulfonate, or has one of the meanings given            for Re or Rg1, provided that it is not a hydrogen atom, and            Rk and Rl have independently one of the meanings given for            Rh, and additionally one of them can represent a hydrogen            atom;    -   a hydrophobic group selected from:        -   a hydrogen atom,        -   a halogen atom,        -   a —CONH(—C(CH₂ORm1)(CH₂ORm2)(CH₂ORm3)) radical, wherein Rm1,            Rm2, Rm3 are independently a linear or branched alkyl,            alkenyl or alkynyl having from 3 to 50 carbon atoms, an            alkylcarbamoyl (O═C—NH—Rn) or an acyl (O═C—Ro), where Rn and            Ro are linear or branched alkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl radicals            having from 3 to 50 carbon atoms,        -   COORp, CORp, COSRp, C—NH-Rp or CONRq1Rq2, where Rp is a            linear or branched and/or cyclic alkyl, alkynyl or alkenyl            radical containing from 3 to 50 carbon atoms, and Rq1 and            Rq2, which may be the same or different, have one of the            meanings given for Rp, and further either one of them can            represent a hydrogen atom,        -   a —Rr, —ORr, or —SRr radical where Rr represents a linear or            branched and/or cyclic alkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl group            containing from 3 to 50 carbon atoms; or    -   an amphiphilic group selected from:        -   an alkyl radical —(CH₂)m-Rs, where m is between 6 and 20,            and where Rs is a hydrophilic group such as carboxylate,            sulfonate, phosphonate, sulfate, phosphate, zwitterion,            ammonium, poly(oxyethylene), or sugar,        -   a poly(oxyethylene)-O-alkyl radical (—(CH₂CH₂O)m-Rt) where            Rt is a linear, branched or cyclic alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl            radical with 6 to 20 carbon atoms,        -   a COORu, CORu, COSRu, CONRvRw radical, wherein Ru is a            poly(oxyethylene)-O-alkyl radical (—(CH₂CH₂O)m-Rt) where Rt            is a linear, branched or cyclic alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl            radical with 6 to 20 carbon atoms, a glycosylalkyl radical,            wherein Rv may be a hydrogen atom or has one of the meanings            given for Ru, wherein Rw has one of the meanings given for            Ru,        -   a —CONH(—C(CH₂ORx1)(CH₂ORx2)(CH₂ORx3)) radical,        -   wherein Rx1, Rx2, Rx3 are such that one or two of these            groups have one of the meanings given for Rm1, Rm2, Rm3 and            one or two of these groups are different from a hydrogen            atom and have one of the meanings given for Rd1, Rd2, Rd3,            Ru,        -   or Rx1, Rx2, Rx3 are the same or different, and are such            that at least one of the groups is different from a hydrogen            atom and has one of the meanings given for Ru,            n is an integer equal to or greater than 2, preferably            between 2 and 10, between 2 and 8, between 2 and 6, between            2 and 4, advantageously n is 3;            x₁ to x_(n), respectively, represent the percentages of the            units

$\left( {{\sum\limits_{i = 1}^{n}\; x_{i}} = {100\%}} \right),$where the ratio of the total percentage of groups where Rb_(i) is ahydrophobic or amphiphilic group to the total percentage of groups whereRb_(i) is a hydrophilic group

∑ x_(i) + ∑ x_(j)/∑ x_(k) $\begin{matrix}{{hydrophobic}\mspace{14mu}{Rb}_{ii}} & {{{amphiphilic}\mspace{14mu}{Rb}_{j}}\;} & {{hydrophilic}\mspace{14mu}{Rb}_{k}}\end{matrix}$is between 0.25 and 2.5; preferably between 0.25 and 2; between 0.25 and1.5; between 0.25 and 1; or more preferably between 0.25 and 0.5; andthe average molecular weight is between 500 and 100,000, advantageouslybetween 1,000 and 50,000, between 2,000 and 25,000, more advantageouslybetween 4,000 and 15,000, between 6,000 and 12,000, and preferablybetween 8,000 and 10,000, or more preferably between 9,000 and 10,000g·mol⁻¹.

The term <<cationic counter-ion>> according to the invention relates toa cation which is able to neutralize the negative charge carried by thenegatively charged oxygen atom of the COO⁻ group of Rl when Rl isCOO-M⁺. This counter-ion can be in particular an alkaline cation.

The term <<sugar moiety>> according to the invention relates to a monoor hetero or homopolysaccharide radical, in particular, but not limitedto, of the formula (C_(n)H_(2n-2)O_(n-1))_(m). When m=1 themonosaccharide can be a glucosyl, galactosyl, mannosyl radical, and thelike. When m=2 the disaccharide can be a maltosyl, lactosyl, saccharosylradical, and the like.

The term <<polyoxyalkylene>> according to the invention relates to aradical of the formula (C_(n)H_(2n)O)_(m), where n is an integer between1 and 6 and m is an integer equal to or greater than 2. This includes inparticular the polyoxyethylene where n=2.

The term <<zwitterionic radical>> according to the invention is meant torelate to, according to the invention, a group carrying both a positivecharge and a negative charge such as a carboxybetaine group of thegeneral formula —(CH₂)_(n)—N⁺Ry1Ry2-(CH₂)_(m)—CO₂ ⁻, a sulfobetainegroup of the general formula —(CH₂)_(n)—N⁺Rz1Rz2-(CH₂)_(m)—SO₃ ⁻ whereRy1, Ry2 Rz1 and Rz2 are linear, branched or cyclic alkyl, alkenyl oralkyl radicals, and n is an integer equal to or greater than 1 and m isan integer within the range of 2 to 4.

The term <<alkylsulfonate>> according to the invention relates to aradical of the general formula —(CH₂)_(n)—SO₃-M⁺ where M⁺ is as definedabove.

In all cases above and below referring to a linear or branched alkyl,alkenyl or alkynyl having from 3 to 50 carbon atoms, the linear orbranched alkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl radical comprises advantageously from3 to 40, from 3 to 30, from 3 to 25, from 3 to 20, or more preferablyfrom 3 to 18 carbon atoms.

Advantageously, the vinyl polymer is more specifically of the formula(II):

wherein:Ra₁, Ra₂ and Ra₃ are the same or different, and represent a hydrogenatom, or a methyl radical;Rb₁ is a hydrophilic group selected from:

-   -   a carboxylate radical —COO⁻M⁺, a sulfonate radical —SO₃ ⁻M⁺, or        a phosphonate radical —PO₃ ⁻M⁺, where M⁺ is a cationic        counter-ion,    -   a (C₁-C₅) alkylcarboxylate radical, a (C₁-C₅) alkylsulfonate        radical, or a (C₁-C₅) alkylphosphonate radical    -   a phenylsulfonate    -   CONRc1Rc2, where Rc1 and Rc2, which may be the same or        different, represent a (—C(CH₂ORd1)(CH₂ORd2)(CH₂ORd3)) radical,        where Rd1, Rd2 and Rd3 represent independently a hydrogen atom,        a sugar moiety, a polyoxyalkylene, in particular        polyoxyethylene, containing from 4 to 10 alkylene oxide units, a        zwitterionic radical, a primary, secondary or tertiary        hydroxyalkyl —(CH₂)mOH, where m is within the range of 1 to 4, a        (C₁-C₅) alkylcarboxylate radical, a (C₁-C₅) alkylsulfonate        radical or a (C₁-C₅) alkylphosphonate radical, a sugar moiety        Rb₂ is:    -   a hydrophobic group selected from:        -   a hydrogen atom,        -   a halogen atom,        -   a —CONH(—C(CH₂ORm1)(CH₂ORm2)(CH₂ORm3)) radical, wherein Rm1,            Rm2, Rm3 are independently a linear or branched alkyl,            alkenyl or alkynyl having from 3 to 50 carbon atoms, an            alkylcarbamoyl (O═C—NH—Rn) or an acyl (O═C—Ro), where Rn and            Ro are linear or branched alkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl radicals            having from 3 to 50 carbon atoms,        -   COORp, CORp, CSRp, C—NH-Rp or CONRq1Rq2, where Rp is a            linear or branched and/or cyclic alkyl, alkynyl or alkenyl            radical containing from 3 to 50 carbon atoms, and Rq1 and            Rq2, which may be the same or different, have one of the            meanings given for Rp, and further either one of them can            represent a hydrogen atom,    -   a —Rr, —ORr, or —SRr radical where Rr represents a linear or        branched and/or cyclic alkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl group        containing from 3 to 50 carbon atoms; or    -   an amphiphilic group selected from:        -   an alkyl radical —(CH₂)m-Rs, where m is between 6 and 20, Rs            is a hydrophilic group such as carboxylate, sulfonate,            phosphonate, sulfate, phosphate, zwitterion, ammonium,            poly(oxyethylene), sugar,        -   a poly(oxyethylene)-O-alkyl radical (—(CH₂CH₂O)m-Rt) where            Rt is a linear, branched or cyclic alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl            radical with 6 to 20 carbon atoms,        -   a COORu, CORu, COSRu, CONRvRw radical, where Ru is a            poly(oxyethylene)-O-alkyl radical (—(CH₂CH₂O)m-Rt) where Rt            is a linear, branched or cyclic alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl            radical with 6 to 20 carbon atoms, a glycosylalkyl radical,            wherein Rv can represent a hydrogen atom or has one of the            meanings given for Ru, wherein Rw has one of the meanings            given for Ru,        -   a —CONH(—C(CH₂ORx1)(CH₂ORx2)(CH₂ORx3)) radical, wherein Rx1,            Rx2, Rx3 are such that one or two of these groups have one            of the meanings given for Rm1, Rm2, Rm3 and one or two of            these groups are different from a hydrogen atom and have one            of the meanings given for Rd1, Rd2, Rd3, Ru, or Rx1, Rx2,            Rx3 are the same or different, and are such that at least            one of the groups is different from a hydrogen atom and has            one of the meanings given for Ru,    -   Rb₃ is a hydrophilic group selected from:        -   COORe, wherein Re represents a sugar moiety, a primary,            secondary or tertiary hydroxyalkyl —(CH₂)mOH, where m is            within the range of 1 to 4, a polyoxyalkylene, in particular            polyoxyethylene, having 4 to 10 alkylene oxide units, a            (CH₂)t-NRf1Rf2 radical, where t is an integer from 1 to 5,            and Rf1, Rf2, which may be the same or different, represent            a hydrogen atom or a (C₁-C₄) alkyl radical,        -   a hydroxyl group        -   a primary, secondary or tertiary hydroxyalkyl —(CH₂)mOH,            where m is within the range of 1 to 4,        -   a primary, secondary, tertiary amine        -   a quaternary ammonium        -   N-formamide, N-alkylformamide,        -   N-acetamide, N-alkylacetamide,        -   N-pyrrolidonyl,        -   CONRg1Rg2, where Rg1 and Rg2, which may be the same or            different, are a hydrogen atom, a sugar moiety, a            polyoxyalkylene, in particular polyoxyethylene, containing            from 4 to 10 alkylene oxide units, a zwitterionic radical, a            primary, secondary or tertiary hydroxyalkyl —(CH₂)mOH, where            m is within the range of 1 to 4 (R3),        -   COORh or CONRkRl, where Rh represents a (C₁-C₅) alkyl            radical, an alkylsulfonate, or has one of the meanings given            for Re or Rg1, provided that it is not a hydrogen atom, and            Rk, Rl have independently one of the meanings given for Rh,            and additionally one of them can represent a hydrogen atom;            x1, x2, x3 represent the percentages of the units,            respectively, where    -   x1 is between 20 and 90%    -   x2 is between 10 and 80%    -   x3 is between 0 and 60%, and    -   x₂/x₁+x₃ is between 0.25 and 2.5; preferably between 0.25 and 2;        between 0.25 and 1.5; between 0.25 and 1; or more preferably        between 0.25 and 0.5; and        the average molecular weight is between 500 and 100,000,        advantageously between 1,000 and 50,000, between 2,000 and        25,000, more advantageously between 4,000 and 15,000, between        6,000 and 12,000, and preferably between 8,000 and 10,000, or        more preferably between 9,000 and 10,000 g·mol⁻¹.

Advantageously, in an amphiphilic vinyl polymer of the formula (II):

Ra₁, Ra₂ and Ra₃ are the same or different, and represent a hydrogenatom, or a methyl radical;

Rb₁ represents COO⁻M⁺, where M⁺ is a cationic counter-ion;

Rb₂ represents CONRq1Rq2, where Rq1 and Rq2 represent independently alinear or branched and/or cyclic alkyl, alkynyl or alkenyl radicalcontaining from 3 to 50 carbon atoms, and further either one of them canrepresent a hydrogen atom;

Rb₃ represents CONRkRl, where Rk and Rl represent independently a(C₁-C₅) alkyl radical, an alkylsulfonate, a sugar moiety, a primary,secondary or tertiary hydroxyalkyl —(CH₂)mOH, where m is within therange of 1 to 4, a polyoxyalkylene, in particular polyoxyethylene,having 4 to 10 alkylene oxide units, a zwitterionic radical, a(CH₂)t-NRf1Rf2 radical, where t is an integer from 1 to 5, Rf1, Rf2 arethe same or different, and represent a hydrogen atom or a (C₁-C₄) alkylradical, and further either one of Rk and Rl can represent a hydrogenatom.

More specifically, in a particularly advantageous embodiment of a vinylpolymer of the formula (II):

Ra₁, Ra₂ and Ra₃ are the same or different, and represent a hydrogenatom, or a methyl radical;

Rb₁ represents COO⁻M⁺, where M⁺ is Na⁺ or K⁺;

Rb₂ represents CONRq1Rq2, where Rq1 is n-octyl, and Rq2 is H;

x1 is between 70 and 80%, x2 is between 20 and 30%, and x3 is 0%; andthe average molecular weight is between 2,000 and 50,000 g·mol⁻¹.

In another particularly advantageous embodiment of a vinyl polymer ofthe formula (II):

Ra₁, Ra₂ and Ra₃ are the same or different, and represent a hydrogenatom, or a methyl radical;

Rb₁ represents COO-M⁺, where M⁺ is a cationic counter-ion;

Rb₂ represents CONRq1Rq2, where Rq1 is n-octyl, and Rq2 is H;

Rb₃ is as defined in formula (II) above, i.e. represents CONRkRl , whereRk and Rl represent independently a (C₁-C₅) alkyl radical, analkylsulfonate, a sugar moiety, a primary, secondary or tertiaryhydroxyalkyl —(CH₂)mOH, where m is within the range of 1 to 4, apolyoxyalkylene, in particular polyoxyethylene, having 4 to 10 alkyleneoxide units, a zwitterionic radical, a (CH₂)t-NRf1Rf2 radical, where tis an integer from 1 to 5, Rf1, Rf2 are the same or different, andrepresent a hydrogen atom or a (C₁-C₄) alkyl radical, and further eitherone of Rk and Rl can represent a hydrogen atom;x1 is between 30 and 40%, x2 is between 20 and 30%, and x3 is between 30and 50%; andthe average molecular weight is between 2,000 and 50,000 g·mol⁻¹.

In another embodiment, the amphiphilic molecule is an amphiphilicpolymer of the amphiphilic polypeptide type, i.e. an amino acidamphiphilic polymer. In order to be amphiphilic, a polypeptide shouldcontain a mixture of hydrophobic amino acids and hydrophilic amino acidsin the above-mentioned amounts. Alternatively, a hydrophilic peptide canbe modified by grafting hydrophobic side chains, and thus be providedwith an amphiphilic character.

In a further embodiment, the amphiphilic molecule is an amphiphilicpolymer of the amphiphilic polysaccharide type. The term<<polysaccharide>> means herein a polymer comprised of a number ofmonosaccharides, where a <<monosaccharide>> is a simple carbohydrate.

In a further embodiment, the amphiphilic molecule is an amphiphilicpolymer of the amphiphilic dendrimer type. The term <<dendrimer>>relates to a dendritic polymer having a regular branched structureconstructed by iteration processes comprising adding branched monomershaving at least three reactive sites, thus providing a regular dendriticstructure. Furthermore, in order to be amphiphilic, a dendrimer shouldbe comprised of units, with some of them comprising hydrophilic groupsand others hydrophobic side chains.

In an advantageous embodiment of any product according to the inventionas described above, the support is a solid support. In fact, thisparticular embodiment is advantageous for a number of applications, inparticular for providing chips carrying membrane proteins, beads coatedwith membrane proteins, membranes coated with membrane proteins, fibersor nanotubes coated with membrane proteins. Thus, preferably, the solidsupport is selected from a chip, a bead, a porous or non-porousmembrane, a fiber, or a nanotube.

The term <<chip>> relates to a small plate or slide of solid materialhaving a surface where biomolecules such as nucleic acids or proteinscan be grafted.

The term <<bead>> relates to a globular, for example spherical particle.Such a bead can further have any useful characteristic for the requiredapplication, for example it can be magnetic so as to be readilyseparated from the media containing it.

The term <<porous membrane>> relates to a thin layer of porous andflexible material, wherein the pore size of the material lets throughmolecules having a size lower than a set value, and blocks moleculeshaving a larger size.

The term <<non-porous membrane>> relates to a thin layer of flexiblematerial, optionally shaped as bundles of thin tubes, multi-layeredstructures, or other devices so as to provide a several-fold increase inthe surface.

The term <<fiber>> relates to a unit filament-like formation, which isgenerally in the form of bundles. The fibers can be <<natural>>, i.e.naturally occurring, or <<chemical>>, i.e. man-made. Examples of naturalfibers include plant fibers such as cotton, linen, hemp, ramie, jute,abaca, esparto, kapok, coco, broom, henequen, kenaf, maguey, sisal,bamboo, animal fibers such as wool, alpaca, camel, Kashmir, guanaco,Angora rabbit, mohair, vicuna wool, yak, silk, and fibers of mineralorigin such as asbestos. Examples of chemical fibers include artificialfibers of cellulose plant origin such as viscose, cupro, modal, ofnon-cellulosic origin such as alginate, fibers of animal origin such aschitin, synthetic fibers of organic origin such as polyamides,polyesters, chlorofibers, acrylics, modacrylics, polypropylene,elastodiene, elastane, polyurethane, vinylal, and synthetic fibers ofmineral origin such as aramide, glass, and textile.

The term <<nanotube>> relates to a particular crystalline structure,having a hollow, tubular shape, consisting of atoms regularlydistributed in the form of polygons, in particular pentagons, hexagonsand/or heptagons, obtained from some materials, particularly carbon andboron nitride. Various types of nanotubes, particularly carbonnanotubes, are well-known to those skilled in the art.

In another embodiment of any product according to the invention asdescribed above, the support is a soluble macromolecule or particleselected from polymers, dendrimers, vesicles, or micelles.

The term <<vesicle>> relates to an assembly of amphiphilic moleculesconsisting of one (or more) closed bilayer(s) or membrane(s) definingone (or more) aqueous internal cavity (cavities) isolated from theoutside environment.

The term <<micelle>> relates to a globular, discoid or linear aggregateof molecules having a hydrophilic polar head towards the solvent sideand a hydrophobic chain towards the inside.

Whatever the support, the latter should interact with the amphiphilicmolecule as described above to form a bond between the support and themembrane protein complexed to the amphiphilic molecule. Various types ofbonds can be formed between the support and the amphiphilic molecule.

Thus, in one embodiment of any product according to the invention asdescribed above, the attachment of the amphiphilic molecule onto thesupport is mediated by a hydrophobic bond, an ionic bond, a specificreceptor-ligand binding between at least one functional group in theamphiphilic molecule and at least one functional group at the supportsurface, or a covalent bond between at least one reactive functionalgroup in the amphiphilic molecule and at least one reactive functionalgroup at the support surface.

In fact, as the amphiphilic molecule has a number of hydrophobic sidechains, some of these chains can interact with a support which is itselfhydrophobic, irrespective of whether it is made of a hydrophobicmaterial or coated with hydrophobic groups, such as for example alkylgroups, for example octyl groups or stearyl groups (silica, glass,quartz, or resin or other support, C_(n)-grafted, where n is between 4and 30).

Alternatively, the binding between the support and the amphiphilicmolecule can be an ionic bond between charged groups in the amphiphilicmolecule and charged groups in the support. For example, in the casewhere the amphiphilic molecule is any vinyl polymer of the formula (II)as described above, the CO₂ ⁻ groups in the vinyl polymer can form anionic bond with positively charged groups situated on the support,either naturally or after treatment of the support or after positivelycharged groups have been grafted to the support (for example thequaternary ammonium group used for synthesizing anionic resins such asQAE polyoside).

An alternative way of binding the support to the amphiphilic moleculeconsists of a specific receptor-ligand binding between at least onegroup in the amphiphilic molecule and at least one molecule at thesupport surface, or vice versa. In fact, there are numerous moleculepairs of the receptor-ligand type, i.e. capable of specificallyinteracting with each other. Thus, if one or more functional groupsrepresenting the first half of a receptor-ligand molecule pair aregrafted to the amphiphilic molecule, and if one or more functionalgroups representing the second half of the receptor-ligand molecule pairare grafted or adsorbed or attached by any means onto the support, thena specific bond can be formed between the support and the amphiphilicmolecule.

Thus, in an advantageous embodiment of any product according to theinvention as described above, the product is characterized in that:

-   -   a) the amphiphilic molecule further comprises at least one        functional group providing the first half of a receptor-ligand        molecule pair,    -   b) the support further comprises at least one functional group        attached to the surface thereof providing the second half of        said receptor-ligand molecule pair, and    -   c) the attachment of the amphiphilic molecule onto the support        is mediated through a specific receptor-ligand binding between        the functional group(s) in the amphiphilic molecule and the        functional group(s) attached to the support.

As indicated above, there are numerous molecule pairs of thereceptor-ligand type capable of specifically interacting with eachother. For example, pairs (functional group in the amphiphilicmolecule/functional group attached to the support) suitable for aproduct according to the invention where the interaction between thesupport and the amphiphilic molecule is mediated through a specificreceptor-ligand binding can be selected from those pairs conventionallyused in affinity chromatography, and especially from:

-   -   pairs with an interaction of the enzyme-substrate type        consisting of a small molecule recognized by a protein having a        high affinity for said substrate, such as the following pairs:        (biotin/avidin), (glutathion/glutathion S-transferase,        glutathion-binding proteins, or fusion proteins including        glutathion S-transferase), (calmodulin/ATPase, protein kinase,        phosphor-diesterase, or neurotransmitter), (L-arginine or        p-aminobenzamidine/serine protease), (L-lysine/plasminogen (and        activator) or rRNA), (AMP, ADP, or ATP/cofactor enzyme),        (lectin/glucanated protein, glucolipid, or polysaccharide),        (heparin/growth and coagulation factor, steroid receptor,        endonuclease, lipoprotein, or lipase), or (Cibacron Blue®/NAD or        NADP cofactor enzymes, albumin, coagulation factor, or        interferon), as well as the corresponding reversed pairs    -   pairs of the (antigen/antibody) or (hapten/antibody) type, or        conversely of the (antibody/antigen) or (antibody/hapten) type,    -   pairs with an interaction of the chelation type, consisting of a        group involving chelations with transition metals, such as        (nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA)/transition metal), (EDTA/transition        metal),    -   pairs of the (nucleic acid/complementary nucleic acid) type, and        especially (oligonucleotide/complementary oligonucleotide) type,        and    -   affinity pairs of the (phenylboronic acid        (APB)/salicylhydroxamic acid (ASH)) type.

Advantageously, the pair (functional group in the amphiphilicmolecule/functional group attached to the support) is selected from(biotin/avidin), (avidin/biotin), (glutathion/glutathion S-transferase),(glutathion/S-transferase glutathion), (antigen/antibody),(hapten/antibody), (antibody/antigen), (antibody/hapten),(oligonucleotide/complementary oligonucleotide).

Thus, in those products according to the present invention where theamphiphilic molecule and the support are bound through a specificreceptor-ligand binding between the functional group(s) in theamphiphilic molecule and the functional group(s) attached to thesupport, it is particularly advantageous to use as an amphiphilicmolecule a vinyl polymer of the formula (I) or (II) as generally definedabove, or as provided in the advantageous embodiments of theabove-described polymers of the formula (I) or (II), further comprisinga percentage of between 0 and 4% of a monomer of the formula

wherein:Raa is a hydrogen atom or a methyl radical;Rbb represents a COORcc, or —COSRcc or —CORcc or CONRccRdd group, where

Rcc represents the functional group in the amphiphilic moleculeproviding the first half of the receptor-ligand pair, and

Rdd represents a (C₁-C₅) alkyl radical, an alkylsulfonate, a hydrogenatom, a sugar moiety, a primary, secondary or tertiary hydroxyalkyl—(CH₂)mOH, where m is within the range of 1 to 4, a polyoxyalkylene, inparticular polyoxyethylene, having 4 to 10 alkylene oxide units, azwitterionic radical, a (CH₂)t-NRf1Rf2 radical, where t is an integerfrom 1 to 5, Rf1, Rf2 are the same or different, and represent ahydrogen atom or a (C₁-C₄) alkyl radical.

In these particularly advantageous products, the pair (functional groupin the amphiphilic molecule/functional group attached to the support) isadvantageously selected from those described above.

Lastly, it may be envisaged to attach the amphiphilic molecule on thesupport via a covalent bond between at least one reactive functionalgroup in the amphiphilic molecule and at least one reactive functionalgroup in the support (12-15). Thus, if one or more functional groups aregrafted to the amphiphilic molecule and one or more functional groupswhich can be chemically reacted with the one or more groups in theamphiphilic molecule are adsorbed or grafted by any means on thesupport, it may be envisaged to chemically react together the variousgroups under favorable conditions suitable for forming a covalent bondbetween the support and the amphiphilic molecule. As regard to thereactive functional group in the amphiphilic molecule and the reactivefunctional group in the support capable of forming a covalent bond underfavorable conditions, they will thus be referred to as a <<chemicalreactive pair>>.

Thus, in an advantageous embodiment of any product according to theinvention as described above, the product is characterized in that:

-   -   a) the amphiphilic molecule further comprises at least one        functional group providing the first half of a chemical reactive        pair,    -   b) the support further comprises at least one functional group        attached to the surface thereof providing the second half of        said chemical reactive pair, and    -   c) the attachment of the amphiphilic molecule to the support is        carried out by chemically reacting the functional group(s) in        the amphiphilic molecule with the functional group(s) attached        to the support.

As an example, it would be possible to envisage the use of a processknown for having a high selectivity which comprises adsorbing at thesurface a quinone derivative which, under certain conditions compatiblewith our experiments, will react spontaneously through a Diels-Aldermechanism with a cyclopentadienyl group attached to the amphiphilicmolecule. The resulting bonds are covalent.

Also, it is possible to envisage the same type of selective reactionbetween a support having azide groups (N₃) on the surface thereof and anamphiphilic polymer having an alkynyl group (triple bond).

Also, it may be envisaged to functionalize the amphiphilic molecule withan alkoxyamine group (or a carbonyl group) capable of condensing with ahigh selectivity on a carbonyl function (or an alkoxyamine group)attached to the support surface. The resulting bond (alkoxylimine) iscovalent.

Thus, in the products according to the present invention where theamphiphilic molecule and the support are covalently bound through thereactive functional group(s) in the amphiphilic molecule and thereactive functional group(s) attached to the support, it is particularlyadvantageous to use as an amphiphilic molecule a vinyl polymer of theformula (I) or (II) as generally defined above, or as provided in theadvantageous embodiments of the above-described polymers of the formula(I) or (II), further comprising a percentage of between 0 and 4% of amonomer of the formula:

wherein:Raaa is a hydrogen atom or a methyl radical;Rbbb represents a COORccc, or —COSRccc or —CORccc or CONRcccRddd group,where

Rccc represents the reactive functional group in the amphiphilicmolecule providing the first half of a chemical reactive pair, and

Rdd represents a (C₁-C₅) alkyl radical, an alkylsulfonate, a hydrogenatom, a sugar moiety, a primary, secondary or tertiary hydroxyalkyl—(CH₂)mOH, where m is within the range of 1 to 4, a polyoxyalkylene, inparticular polyoxyethylene, having 4 to 10 alkylene oxide units, azwitterionic radical, a (CH₂)t-NRf1Rf2 radical, where t is an integerfrom 1 to 5, Rf1, Rf2 are the same or different, and represent ahydrogen atom or a (C₁-C₄) alkyl radical.

In these particularly advantageous products, the pair (reactivefunctional group in the amphiphilic molecule/reactive functional groupattached to the support) is advantageously selected from those describedabove.

The products according to the invention described above can have,attached to their surface through the amphiphilic molecule, any membraneprotein. One of the great advantages provided according to theinvention, is that any membrane protein, irrespective of its structure,its function, and whether it is known or not, can be immobilized on asupport in the form of a product according to the invention. In someembodiments, the one or more membrane protein(s) immobilized at thesupport surface is (are) selected from an antigen, an antibody, anenzyme, a cell receptor, an ion channel, or a membrane protein of viral,bacterial, or eukaryotic origin. The one or more membrane protein(s)immobilized at the support surface can be selected depending on therequired end use of the product according to the invention.

The invention also relates to a process for preparing a productaccording to the invention as described above, comprising:

-   -   a) providing at least one membrane protein, a support and an        amphiphilic molecule as described above in any embodiment,    -   b) forming a complex between the amphiphilic molecule and the        membrane protein, and    -   c) attaching the amphiphilic molecule of the complex to the        support via a hydrophobic bond, an ionic bond, a specific        receptor-ligand binding between at least one functional group in        the amphiphilic molecule and at least one functional group at        the support surface, or a covalent bond between at least one        reactive functional group in the amphiphilic molecule and at        least one reactive functional group at the support surface.

As an example, forming the complex between the amphiphilic molecule andthe membrane protein (step b) can be carried out as follows (7-10):

-   -   to a solution of membrane protein(s) made soluble by means of a        detergent at a concentration higher than its critical micelle        concentration, a weight amount of amphiphilic molecule of 0.5 to        10 times the weight of protein is added.    -   After incubating 15 min at 4° C., the detergent is removed        either by adsorption on Bio-beads®, or by dialysis, or by        diluting to a level lower than the detergent critical micelle        concentration followed by concentrating the preparation on a        filtration system which lets the detergent through but not the        protein (Centricon® or Amicon® system, for example), or by        precipiting the detergent, and the like. Several of these        procedures can also be used sequentially to allow for complete        removal of the detergent.    -   At this stage and depending on the nature and size of the        protein used, the complexes can then be washed to remove the        excess amphiphilic molecule either by centrifuging the        preparation on a gradient of sucrose, or by separating the        complexes from the amphiphilic molecules on molecular sieves or        affinity column.    -   Alternatively, forming membrane protein(s)/amphiphilic molecule        complexes can be carried out by various other routes such as        direct extraction, optionally assisted by the presence of a        detergent, of proteins from the starting preparations        (biological membranes, inclusion bodies and the like), trapping        during a renaturation process, cell-free synthesis and the like.

There are various ways of attaching the amphiphilic molecule of thecomplex to the support (step c): thus, as an example, in the case ofsolid supports, solutions of the membrane protein(s)-amphiphilicmolecule complex can be deposited on the support, providing that optimalconditions are used for forming the interaction between the amphiphilicmolecule and the support (for example, for avidin/biotin interaction, ina NaCl, pH=7.4 buffer): the incubation time will depend both on thenature of the support, and on the type of amphiphilic molecule/supportinteraction selected.

The products according to the invention, obtained by the processesdescribed above, have a number of possible applications, in particularin terms of diagnosis, drug design, or biotechnologies.

Thus, the invention relates in particular to the use of a productaccording to the invention comprising a support and at least onemembrane protein attached to the surface thereof as described above fordetecting the presence or absence in a biological specimen of a ligandof said at least one membrane protein.

The term <<biological sample>> relates to any type of sample containingbiological matter. In particular, such a biological specimen can beselected from a blood sample, a lymph sample, a serum sample, a urinesample, a stool sample, a saliva sample, a tissue sample, or a biopsy.The sample can derive from any type of organism, in particular from ahuman being, an animal, a microorganism, a virus or a plant. The rawsample, collected from the organism of interest, can subsequently beprocessed to make it acceptable for the subsequent assay method. Thiswill not be the case when the molecule to be detected is directlyavailable in the sample. On the contrary, if the molecule to be detectedis not directly available in the sample, the sample will have to beprocessed to make it available. For example, if the sample containscells that are not in solution and the ligand to be detected is itselfmembrane-like, the sample can be processed to provide a solution ofcells having on their surface the directly detectable ligand. If theligand to be detected is an intracellular molecule, the sample should beprocessed so that the ligand is directly available. For example if theligand to be detected is an intracellular protein, there are a number oftechniques well-known to those skilled in the art for extractingproteins from a biological specimen. If the ligand to be detected is anucleic acid, there are also a number of techniques well-known to thoseskilled in the art for extracting nucleic acids from a biologicalspecimen. The same is true for other types of ligands like lipids orsugars.

Detecting the presence or absence of the membrane protein ligand in thebiological specimen can be carried out by different techniques known tothose skilled in the art. For example, detecting ligand binding to themembrane protein can be carried out using the surface plasmon resonancetechnique, which allows detection and real-time monitoring ofinteractions between circulating molecules and one or more immobilizedmolecule(s), by continuously observing for a change in surface plasmonresonance induced by the interaction of the circulating molecules withthe chip as an assay support. But ligand binding to the immobilizedmembrane protein can also be detected by other techniques. Inparticular, if the ligand tested for its presence is known, it ispossible to use well-known ELISA-type techniques, where the ligandattached to the membrane protein is detected by means of a thirdmolecule specifically binding to this ligand (for example a specificantibody, or if the ligand can bind several membrane proteinssimultaneously, a second membrane protein in a soluble form), this thirdmolecule being detectable by fluorescence emission, enzyme reaction, itsradioactivity, or any other means conventionally used for this type oftechnique.

More specifically, such a use of a product according to the inventionfor detecting the presence or absence in a biological specimen of aligand of said at least one membrane protein can be applied fordiagnosing the presence or absence of a membrane protein ligand in abiological specimen. In particular, in the case where said at least onemembrane protein is a membrane antigen of a pathogenic agent, a productaccording to the invention comprising a support and said membraneantigen of a pathogenic agent attached to the surface thereof asdescribed above can be used for diagnosing in a subject the presence orabsence of an exposition to this pathogenic agent, by detecting thepresence or absence of antibodies raised against said antigen in theserum of the subject. Thus, in an advantageous embodiment of such a use,said at least one membrane protein is a membrane antigen of a pathogenicagent, said biological specimen is a serum sample, and said ligand to bedetected is an antibody raised against said antigen.

The invention also relates to the use of a product according to theinvention comprising a support and at least one membrane proteinattached to the surface thereof as described above for screening acompound bank for ligands of said at least one membrane protein.

In fact, such a use is very useful in pharmacology for membrane proteinsproviding therapeutic targets. For each new membrane target identified,a screening of compound libraries is generally carried out to identifyvarious agonist or antagonist, potential drug candidate ligands, for thetarget in question, these candidates then being optimized in terms ofefficiency and non-toxicity.

As indicated above, the advantage of the products according to theinvention for such an application is that the membrane proteinsimmobilized on the support, as they are complexed with the amphiphilicmolecule, are fully soluble in an aqueous solution, and biochemicallystabilized in their natural conformation. Thus, detection can be carriedout in an aqueous medium while keeping the native structure of themembrane protein, thus allowing not only to simplify the bindingdetection method, but also to make sure that the test membrane proteinis definitely in its native state, and accordingly likely to bind, withthe same affinity, the same compounds as within the living organism.

In this case, besides the above-described techniques for detecting aligand binding to the membrane protein, it is possible to use testcompounds which are directly detectable by fluorescence, colorimetry orany other type of detection.

The invention further relates to the use of a product according to theinvention comprising a support and at least one membrane proteinattached to the surface thereof as described above, wherein said atleast one protein is an enzyme, for transforming said enzyme substrateunder controlled conditions. In fact, a product according to theinvention can be in particular a functionalized membrane, i.e. amembrane on which a <<lawn>> of membrane enzyme is immobilized, thismore or less regular enzyme distribution on the membrane having beenbrought about by means of a process according to the invention. In fact,this allows in particular to convert a solution of one of this membraneenzyme substrate to a solution of the product generated after action ofthe enzyme on this substrate by simply filtrating the solution throughthe thus functionalized membrane, or sending the solution through abundle of tubes having an internal surface to which the membrane enzymeis attached according to the invention.

The invention generally relies on the principle involving usingamphiphilic molecules for immobilizing any membrane proteins on asupport, in the absence of a detergent or at detergent concentrationslower than the critical micelle concentration (CMC), and under suchconditions that the membrane protein is biochemically stabilized.

Accordingly the invention also relates to a kit for carrying out aprocess for preparing a product according to the invention as describedabove, comprising a support and an amphiphilic molecule, characterizedin that said amphiphilic molecule and said support interact through ahydrophobic bond, an ionic bond, a specific receptor-ligand bindingbetween at least one functional group in the amphiphilic molecule and atleast one functional group at the support surface, or a covalent bondbetween at least one reactive functional group in the amphiphilicmolecule and at least one reactive functional group at the supportsurface. The support and the amphiphilic molecule can be any type ofsupport or amphiphilic molecule as described above, provided that bothparts of the kit, i.e. the support and the amphiphilic molecule,interact through a hydrophobic bond, an ionic bond, a specificreceptor-ligand binding between at least one functional group in theamphiphilic molecule and at least one functional group at the supportsurface, or a covalent bond between at least one reactive functionalgroup in the amphiphilic molecule and at least one reactive functionalgroup at the support surface.

In an advantageous embodiment of such a kit according to the invention,the support and the amphiphilic molecule interact through a specificreceptor-ligand binding between at least one functional group in theamphiphilic molecule and at least one functional group at the supportsurface. More specifically, preferably the kit is characterized in that:

-   -   a) the amphiphilic molecule further comprises at least one        functional group providing the first half of a receptor-ligand        molecule pair,    -   b) the support further comprises at least one functional group        attached to the surface thereof providing the second half of        said receptor-ligand molecule pair, and    -   c) the binding of the amphiphilic molecule to the support is        mediated through a specific receptor-ligand binding between the        functional group(s) in the amphiphilic molecule and the        functional group(s) attached to the support.

Advantageously, the pair (functional group in the amphiphilicmolecule/functional group attached to the support) is selected from thefollowing pairs: (biotin/avidin), (glutathion/glutathion S-transferase,glutathion-binding proteins, or fusion proteins including glutathionS-transferase), (calmoduline/ATPase, protein kinase, phosphodiesterase,or neurotransmitter), (L-arginine or p-aminobenzamidine/serineprotease), (L-lysine/plasminogen (and activator) or rRNA), (AMP, ADP, orATP/cofactor enzyme), (lectin/glucanated protein, glucolipid, orpolysaccharide), (heparin/growth and coagulation factor, steroidreceptor, endonuclease, lipoprotein, or lipase), or (Cibacron Blue®/NADor NADP cofactor enzymes, albumin, coagulation factor, or interferon),or the corresponding reversed pairs, (antigen/antibody),(hapten/antibody), (antibody/antigen), (antibody/hapten),(nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA)/transition metal), (EDTA/transition metal),(phenylboronic acid (APB)/salicylhydroxamic acid (ASH)), or(oligonucleotide/complementary oligonucleotide).

In a kit according to the present invention where the amphiphilicmolecule and the support are bound through a specific receptor-ligandbinding between the functional group(s) in the amphiphilic molecule andthe functional group(s) attached to the support, it is particularlyadvantageous to use as an amphiphilic molecule a vinyl polymer of theformula (I) or (II) as generally defined above, or as provided in theadvantageous embodiments of the above-described polymers of the formula(I) or (II), further comprising a percentage of between 0 and 4% of amonomer of the formula:

wherein:Raa is a hydrogen atom or a methyl radical;Rbb represents a COORcc, or —COSRcc or —CORcc or CONRccRdd group, where

Rcc represents the functional group in the amphiphilic moleculeproviding the first half of the receptor-ligand pair, and

Rdd represents a (C₁-C₅) alkyl radical, an alkylsulfonate, a hydrogenatom, a sugar moiety, a primary, secondary or tertiary hydroxyalkyl—(CH₂)mOH, where m is within the range of 1 to 4, a polyoxyalkylene, inparticular polyoxyethylene, having 4 to 10 alkylene oxide units, azwitterionic radical, a (CH₂)t-NRf1Rf2 radical, where t is an integerfrom 1 to 5, Rf1, Rf2 are the same or different, and represent ahydrogen atom or a (C₁-C₄) alkyl radical.

In this case, the pair (functional group in the amphiphilicmolecule/functional group attached to the support) is advantageouslyselected from those described above.

In another preferred embodiment of a kit according to the invention, thesupport and the amphiphilic molecule interact via a covalent bondbetween at least one reactive functional group in the amphiphilicmolecule and at least one reactive functional group in the support. Morespecifically, preferably, the kit is characterized in that:

-   -   a) the amphiphilic molecule further comprises at least one        functional group providing the first half of a chemical reactive        pair,    -   b) the support further comprises at least one functional group        attached to the surface thereof providing the second half of        said chemical reactive pair, and    -   c) the binding of the amphiphilic molecule to the support is        carried out by chemically reacting the functional group(s) in        the amphiphilic molecule with the functional group(s) attached        to the support.

In a kit according to the present invention where the amphiphilicmolecule and the support are covalently bound between the reactivefunctional group(s) in the amphiphilic molecule and the reactivefunctional group(s) attached to the support, it is particularlyadvantageous to use as an amphiphilic molecule a vinyl polymer of theformula (I) or (II) as generally defined above, or as provided in theadvantageous embodiments of the above-described polymers of the formula(I) or (II), further comprising a percentage of between 0 and 4% of amonomer of the formula:

wherein:Raaa is a hydrogen atom or a methyl radical;Rbbb represents a COORccc, or —COSRccc or —CORccc or CONRcccRddd group,where

Rccc represents the reactive functional group in the amphiphilicmolecule providing the first half of a chemical reactive pair, and

Rdd represents a (C₁-C₅) alkyl radical, an alkylsulfonate, a hydrogenatom, a sugar moiety, a primary, secondary or tertiary hydroxyalkyl—(CH₂)mOH, where m is within the range of 1 to 4, a polyoxyalkylene, inparticular polyoxyethylene, having 4 to 10 alkylene oxide units, azwitterionic radical, a (CH₂)t-NRf1Rf2 radical, where t is an integerfrom 1 to 5, Rf1, Rf2 are the same or different, and represent ahydrogen atom or a (C₁-C₄) alkyl radical.

In these kits, the pair (reactive functional group in the amphiphilicmolecule/reactive functional group attached to the support) isadvantageously selected from those described above.

The invention further relates to the use of an amphiphilic molecule forcomplexing a membrane protein and attaching it to a support. Saidamphiphilic molecule, said membrane protein and said support can be anyone from the group consisting of amphiphilic molecules, membraneproteins and supports, as described above.

Lastly, the invention also relates to any amphiphilic molecule asdefined above, further comprising at least one functional groupproviding the first half of a receptor-ligand molecule pair or the firsthalf of a chemical reactive pair.

In a first embodiment, the amphiphilic molecule further comprises atleast one functional group providing the first half of a receptor-ligandmolecule pair. Such a functionalized amphiphilic molecule allows bindingany membrane protein to a support comprising at least one functionalgroup attached by any means to the surface thereof providing the secondhalf of said receptor-ligand molecule pair through a specificreceptor-ligand binding between the functional group(s) in theamphiphilic molecule and the functional group(s) attached to thesupport. Advantageously, the functional group(s) in the amphiphilicmolecule are selected from biotin, avidin, glutathion, glutathionS-transferase, calmoduline, an ATPase, a protein kinase, aphosphodiesterase, a neurotransmitter, L-arginine, p-aminobenzamidine, aserine protease, L-lysine, plasminogen (and activator), an rRNA, AMP,ADP, ATP, a cofactor enzyme, a lectin, a glucanated protein, aglucolipid, a polysaccharide, heparin, a growth and coagulation factor,a steroid receptor, an endonuclease, a lipoprotein, a lipase, CibacronBlue®, a NAD or NADP cofactor enzyme, albumin, a coagulation factor, aninterferon, an antigen, a hapten, an antibody, nitrilotriacetic acid(NTA), EDTA, phenylboronic acid (APB), salicylhydroxamic acid (ASH), anoligonucleotide, a cyclopentadienyl group, an alkynyl group or analkoxyamine group. Preferably, the functional group(s) in theamphiphilic molecule are selected from biotin, avidin, glutathion,glutathion S-transferase, an antigen, a hapten, an antibody,nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA), EDTA or an oligonucleotide.

Furthermore, the amphiphilic molecule is advantageously a polymer of theformula (I) or (II) further comprising a percentage of between 0 and 4%of a monomer of the formula

in which Raa and Rbb are as defined above.

In a second embodiment, the amphiphilic molecule further comprises atleast one functional group providing the first half of a chemicalreactive pair. Such a functionalized amphiphilic molecule allows bindingany membrane protein to a support comprising at least one reactivefunctional group attached by any means to the surface thereof providingthe second half of said chemical reactive pair through a covalent bondbetween the reactive functional group(s) in the amphiphilic molecule andthe reactive functional group(s) attached to the support.Advantageously, the reactive functional group(s) in the amphiphilicmolecule are selected from those described above.

Furthermore, the amphiphilic molecule is advantageously a polymer of theformula (I) or (II) further comprising a percentage of between 0 and 4%of a monomer of the formula

wherein Raaa and Rbbb are as defined above.

Another application of the products according to the inventioncomprising a support and at least one membrane protein attached to thesurface thereof using an amphiphilic molecule with which said membraneprotein is complexed as described above involves using such a product asa transient step in a process for assaying membrane proteins in a sampleby mass spectrometry.

In fact, mass spectrometry, a very valuable technique in proteomics foridentifying proteins, is made a lot more difficult, in the case ofmembrane proteins, due to the presence of detergents, which interferewith the detection of the proteins or peptides derived therefrom uponmild proteolysis. Immobilization through amphiphilic molecules asdescribed above provides a very smart means to overcome this problem byremoving the detergents while still allowing partial proteolysis of themembrane proteins immobilized on a support using an amphiphilic molecule(see FIG. 8).

Accordingly the present invention also relates to a process for assayingmembrane proteins in a sample, comprising the preparation of a productaccording to the invention comprising a support and at least onemembrane protein attached to the surface thereof through an amphiphilicmolecule with which said membrane protein is complexed as describedabove.

In a preferred embodiment, the process comprises the steps of:

-   -   a) solubilizing membrane proteins in a detergent,    -   b) complexing the membrane proteins with an amphiphilic molecule        as described above and removing the detergent,    -   c) immobilizing the membrane proteins on a support as described        above through the amphiphilic molecule,    -   d) extensively washing and adding a protease for generating        protein fragments of membrane proteins, with the transmembrane        domain remaining complexed with the amphiphilic molecule        attached to the support,    -   e) removing the support to which the transmembrane domain        complexed with the amphiphilic molecule remains bound and        analyzing the protein fragments by mass spectrometry.

The various supports, amphiphilic molecules and types of bonds betweenthe amphiphilic molecule and the support described above can be used inthis application of the invention.

In an advantageous example, the support can particularly consist ofmagnetic beads, which can be readily separated at step e) by means of amagnet.

An advantageous amphiphilic molecule can be in particular any vinylpolymer as described above.

The amphiphilic molecule can be for example biotinylated and the supportcoated with avidin for binding the amphiphilic molecule to the support.

These various preferred embodiments may of course be combined.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1. Amphipols and Membrane Protein/Amphipol Complexes.

A, chemical structure of an amphipol (APol). A molecule of amphipolA8-35 has an average molecular weight of about 10 kDa. It contains about18 octyl chains, which endow it with hydrophobicity and a very highaffinity for the protein surface. B, modelization of the complex formedby combining amphipols with cytochrome bc₁, a membrane protein complexof 500 kDa. The amphipol belt bound to the protein contains about 8A8-35 molecules (8).

FIG. 2. Principle of the Method Developed.

Step a. The protein (light grey rectangle) is solubilized with adetergent. Step b. The protein is trapped with a biotinylated amphipol(BAPol), and the detergent is removed. Step c. The protein/BAPol complexinteracts via biotin/avidin coupling with a solid support grafted withavidin. Step d. A ligand (dark grey diamond) recognizes the targetprotein.

FIG. 3. Chemical Structures of Universal Amphipol (UAPol) andBiotinylated Amphipol (BAPol).

Detail of the biotinylation reaction.

FIG. 4. Comparison Between the Adsorption of a Biotinylated Amphipol(BAPol) and Another Non-Biotinylated Amphipol (HApol) onto anAvidin-Carrying Chip, Followed by Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR).

Recordings resulting from injections on two separate channels of 50 μlHAPol (in dotted grey) or BAPol (in black) diluted to 10 μM in aNaCl-HEPES buffer (150 mM NaCl, 10 mM HEPES, pH=7.4). The same buffer isflown continuously on the chip outside the injection periods, at 10μl/min. The difference in amplitude of the plateaus observed afterinjection, represented by vertical arrows, shows that polymer adhesionto the chip is mediated by biotin.

FIG. 5. Adhesion of Membrane Protein/Amphipol Complexes onto anAvidin-Carrying Chip Followed by SPR.

Recordings resulting from injection of 100 μl solutions of BAPol,tOmpA/BAPol, BR/BAPol, bd/BApol and b₆f/BAPol at constant BAPolconcentration of 30 μM on different channels of an avidin-carrying chip.Circulating buffer: NaCl-HEPES.

FIG. 6. Detection by Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) of Antibody Bindingto Membrane Proteins Immobilized at the Surface of an Avidin-CarryingChip Through a Biotinylated Amphipol.

10 μl of pre-immune (pre-i.), then post-immune purified sera raisedagainst tOmpA (Post-i.-OA), against BR (Post-i.-BR), against b₆f(Post-i.-b6f), or against bc1 (Post-i.-bc1), are injected sequentiallyon channels previously coated with BAPol or proteins trapped in BAPol.The injections are indicated by arrows. Each recording is performed on achannel coated with a different sample: the thick black line recordingrefers to the channel where tOmpA/BAPol complexes are immobilized, thesmall dotted thin black line refers to the BR/BAPol channel, the largedotted thin black line refers to the b₆f/BAPol channel, the thin blackline refers to the bc₁/BAPol channel, and the thick grey line refers tothe channel for the BAPol only, control sample. Circulating buffer:NaCl-HEPES.

FIG. 7. Detection by SPR of Antibody Binding on a Protein Bound to theSurface of an Avidin-Carrying Chip after Trapping in HAPol or BAPol.

Recordings obtained upon injection of post-immune serum raised againstBR on channels coated with BR after trapping either with HAPol (indotted grey), or with BAPol (in black). Circulating buffer: NaCl-HEPES.The experiment shows an increase in the signal when adsorption ismediated by a functionalized amphipol.

FIG. 8. Use of a Product According to the Invention for AnalyzingMembrane Proteins by Mass Spectrometry.

Step (a). The protein (light grey rectangle) is solubilized into adetergent. Step (b). The protein is trapped (or complexed) with abiotinylated amphipol (BAPol), and the detergent is removed. Step (c).The complex membrane protein/BAPol interacts via biotin/avidin couplingwith a solid support grafted with avidin. Step (d). After extensivewashing, a protease is added to carry out a mild proteolysis andgenerate membrane protein fragments, with the transmembrane portionstill being protected by the amphipol with which it is complexed. Step(e). After separation from the support which still carries fragments oftransmembrane portions complexed with biotinylated amphipol BAPol (forexample by means of a magnet in case of magnetic beads), the remaining,soluble fragments are analyzed by mass spectrometry.

FIG. 9. Immobilization of Bacteriorhodopsin Membrane Protein (BR) onStreptavidin-Carrying Magnetic Beads.

The absorbance (or optical density) of the solution of BR proteincomplexed with biotinylated amphipol (BAPol) at time 0 (prior to mixingwith the beads) and after incubation for 1 hr and 45 min. withstreptavidin-carrying beads is measured versus wavelength. The analysisis carried out for the presence of a peak characteristic of BR proteinat 560 nm.

FIG. 10. Synthesis Diagram of a Polyhistidine-Labelled Amphipol.

DCC: dicyclohexyl carbodiimide, NMP: N-methylpyrrolidinone, HOBT:N-hydroxybenzotriazole, iPr: isopropyl, FMOC:9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl, HIS: histidine, TFA: trifluoroacetic acid,HBTU: O-Benzotriazol-N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-uronium-hexafluoro-phosphate,Tr: trityl.

EXAMPLES Example 1 Membrane Protein Immobilization at the Surface ofStreptavidin-Carrying Chips by Means of a Biotinylated Amphipol

1.1 Principle

The experimental principle developed for immobilizing membrane proteinsat the surface of solid supports is the following (FIG. 2): the membraneprotein is solubilized in a detergent (step a) then trapped with abiotinylated amphipol and the detergent is removed (step b); theresulting complex is contacted with a support grafted with streptavidingroups with which it can be combined via a specific biotin/streptavidininteraction (step c). A protein ligand can then be circulated on thesupport and the ligand/protein interaction can be studied (step d).

Immobilization was experimentally monitored by a surface plasmonresonance (SPR) technique. This technique allows detection and real-timemonitoring of interactions between circulating molecules and one or moreimmobilized molecule(s), by continuously observing for a change insurface plasmon resonance induced by the circulating moleculesinteracting with the assay support. The result of an SPR experimentenables to monitor the amount of materiel interacting with the supportwith time.

1.2 Synthesis of Biotinylated Amphipol (BApol) and Behavior in aSolution

1.2.1 Synthesis of Biotinylated Amphipol (BApol)

The BAPol structure is described in FIG. 3.

The method for synthesizing BAPol is derived from the method forsynthesizing non-functionalized amphipols (7, 16-17). It comprisesforming amide bonds with carboxylic acid functionalities of a lowmolecular weight polyacrylic acid and appropriately selectedalkylamines, such as isopropylamine and octylamine, as well as, in thisparticular case, a low proportion of selectively monoprotectedethylenediamine. Upon deprotection of the amine functionality not boundto the polymer, a functionalized amphipol (“universal” amphipol, or“UAPol”; FIG. 2) is obtained, which can then be reacted on anysufficiently active substrate. Thus, BAPol is obtained by reaction ofthe UAPol amine functionality with D-biotin succinimidyl ester (FIG. 3).

1.2.2 Assay

The BAPols' characteristics in solution are the same as non-biotinylatedAPols. In particular, they form particles having the same size andmolecular weight distribution.

Furthermore, the membrane proteins trapped with BAPols are properlymaintained in solution (they do not aggregate in the absence of adetergent), the same as with non-biotinylated amphipols.

In summary, although a biotin molecule has been grafted, the BAPols havethe same physicochemical and biochemical characteristics as biotin-freeAPols, except for their capacity to bind specifically to avidin orstreptavidin. It is therefore possible to use them for complexingmembrane proteins and making them water-soluble in the absence of adetergent, and then to combine them with a support.

1.3 Amphipol Interaction with a Support Grafted with Streptavidin Groups

Solutions of non-biotinylated amphipol (HAPol) and biotinylated amphipol(BAPol) were injected separately on two separate channels of a supportgrafted with streptavidin groups (SA support).

The results obtained show that both polymers adhere to the SA supportafter injection (FIG. 4), but that the weight of bound BAPol is aboutthree times that of HAPol.

Since only biotin grafting distinguishes both polymers, this experimentconfirms that high adsorption of amphipol on the chip results from thepresence of biotin.

1.4 Deposition of Membrane Proteins Trapped in BApol and Test for LigandRecognition

The four following model membrane proteins having a well-knownbiochemistry and the APol behavior of which had already been tested wereused to test the process for immobilizing membrane proteins according tothe invention: the transmembrane domain of the OmpA protein (tOmpA),bacteriorhodopsin (BR), b₆f cytochrome (b₆f) and bc₁ cytochrome (bc₁).

Furthermore, rabbit sera containing antibodies raised against each ofthese four proteins were prepared as ligands for monitoring membraneproteins/ligands interactions by SPR.

1.4.1 Method for Binding Membrane Proteins on SA Support

The four proteins were trapped in BAPol:

-   -   tOmpA is available in solution at a concentration of 1.2 g/l in        the presence of octyltetraoxyethylene detergent (C₈E₄) to 6 g/l.        Trapping is carried out by adding 18 μl of a 100 g/l BAPol        solution in water to 500 μl of protein solution (i.e. 4 g of        BAPol per g of tOmpA). After incubation for 15 min, 30 mg of        Bio-beads are added and incubation is left to proceed under        stirring for 3 hr at 4° C. followed by recovery of the solution        and removal of the Bio-beads.    -   The BR solution in octyl thioglucoside detergent (OTG) contains        1 g/l protein, 20 mM of OTG. 23 μl of a 100 g/l BAPol solution        in water are added to 450 μl of protein solution (i.e. 5 g of        BAPol per g of BR). After incubation for 15 min, 30 mg of        Bio-beads are added and incubation is left to proceed under        stirring for 3 hr at 4° C. followed by recovery of the solution        and removal of the Bio-beads.    -   The b₆f solution in lauryl maltoside detergent (LM) contains        0.27 g/l protein and 0.1 g/l LM. 1.2 μl of a 100 g/l BAPol        solution in water is added to 150 μl of protein solution (i.e. 3        g of BAPol per g of ND. After incubation for 15 min, 140 mg of        Bio-beads are added and incubation is left to proceed under        stirring for 3 hr at 4° C. followed by recovery of the solution        and removal of the Bio-beads.    -   The bc₁ solution in LM contains 35 g/l protein and 0.1 g/l of        LM. 119 μl of a 100 g/l BAPol solution in water are added to 225        μl of protein solution (i.e. 1.5 g of BAPol per g of bc₁). After        incubation for 15 min, 90 mg of Bio-beads are added and        incubation is left to proceed under stirring for 3 hr at 4° C.        followed by recovery of the solution and removal of the        Bio-beads.

Then, the resulting proteins/BAPol complexes and the BAPol alone weredeposited on separate channels of an SA support: all solutions areadjusted to a concentration of 30 μM of BAPol by diluting withNaCl-HEPES buffer (150 mM NaCl, 10 mM HEPES at pH 7.4), and are theninjected in an amount of 100 μA each on a Biacore 2000 instrument sothat each solution passes through separate channels on SA supports. Inthe intervals between injections, NaCl-HEPES buffer is circulated. Thecirculation flow is set at 10 μl/min during and between injections.

The experiment shows that the material becomes effectively andirreversibly bound to the supports (FIG. 5).

1.4.2 Ligand Binding Assay to Membrane Proteins Immobilized on SASupport by BApol

Antibody/immobilized material recognition experiments were subsequentlycarried out with purified sera only keeping any antibodies, diluted 100×in NaCl-HEPES buffer.

In brief, 10 μl of pre-immune purified sera (pre-i.) are injectedfollowed by post-immune sera raised against tOmpA (Post-i.-OA), againstBR (Post-i.-BR), against b₆f (Post-i.-b6f), and then against bc1(Post-i.-bc1) onto channels previously coated with BAPol or proteinstrapped in BAPol. The injection period is 60 s and time zero is shown byan arrow. Between injections, the NaCl-HEPES buffer (NaCl 150 mM, HEPES10 mM pH=7.4) is flown on the support. Each recording is obtained on achannel coated with a different sample.

All responses observed are specific (see FIG. 6): on the whole, theresults show that the SPR signal remains high after injection only whenthe post-immune sera are tested and providing that they flow on thechannel carrying the protein used for immunization (against which serumantibodies were produced).

This confirms that membrane proteins were immobilized on the channelssupports. This also shows that the process developed may conveniently beused for monitoring interactions between membrane proteins and ligands.

Furthermore, the same experiment was carried out with non-purified seraand lead to the same conclusion, thus showing that a specific ligand canbe detected even inside an extremely complex media like a non-purifiedserum (results not shown).

1.5 Determination of the Protein Immobilization Mediating Agent on theSupport

In a control experiment, the response obtained either when the testprotein was deposited on the chip after trapping in HAPol(non-biotinylated) or after trapping in BAPol (biotinylated) wascompared, in order to check whether protein binding to SA support ismediated by the biotin covalently bonded to the polymer, via specificbiotin/streptavidin binding.

The results (see FIG. 7) show that the antibody only significantlybinds, and therefore only recognizes the protein deposited on SAsupport, if the latter was trapped in BAPol.

1.6 Conclusion.

These results demonstrate the reliability and potency of the processaccording to the invention for immobilizing membrane proteins on asupport. In fact, they show that, if appropriately chemically derived(in this case, by biotin grafting, but a number of other derivationmethods can be used), the amphipols can be easily used, without unduedevelopment, for immobilizing any membrane protein at the surface of asolid support.

Furthermore, the results obtained show that the proteins thusimmobilized can be used for studying interactions with ligands (in thepresent case, for detecting circulating antibodies). The productsaccording to the invention comprising a support and one or more membraneproteins attached to the surface thereof can thus be used for detectingthe presence or absence in a biological specimen of a ligand of animmobilized membrane protein at the support surface, and different typesof applications are then possible, like for example:

-   -   detecting circulating antibodies raised against a membrane        antigen, as shown herein, or    -   screening a compound bank for pharmacologically valuable        membrane receptor ligands, for identifying agonists or        antagonists of said receptor.

Furthermore, the results obtained show that the proteins thusimmobilized can be used for providing enzyme reactors: the productsaccording to the invention comprising a support (beads, membranes,fibers, nanotubes and the like) and one or more membrane proteinsattached to the surface thereof can in fact be used for exposing to saidproteins products circulating in the solution, on which said proteinswill have an enzymatic action.

Example 2 Membrane Protein Immobilization at the Surface ofStreptavidin-Carrying Magnetic Beads by Means of a Biotinylated Amphipol

The inventors tested bacteriorhodopsin (BR) immobilization on magneticbeads functionalized by binding to streptavidin (SA beads).

BR was complexed with biotinylated amphipol (BAPol) according to thefollowing method: a BR solution in octyl thioglucoside detergent (OTG)contains 1.1 g/l protein, 18 mM OTG. 17 μl of a 100 g/l BAPol solutionin water are added to 300 μl of protein solution (i.e. 5 g of BAPol perg of BR). After incubation for 15 min, 80 mg of Bio-beads are added andincubation is left to proceed under stirring for 3 hr at 4° C.(adsorption of OTG) followed by recovery of the solution and removal ofthe Bio-beads.

100 mg of SA beads were washed 3 times in NaCl-HEPES buffer (150 mMNaCl, 10 mM HEPES at pH 7.4), then excess liquid was removed; theprotein solution was diluted to 13 mg/L in NaCl-HEPES buffer.

At time zero, the protein solution is added to the beads and the mixtureis stirred on a Vortex at 4° C. The sample is recovered 1 hr and 45 min.later. The beads are separated by means of a magnet, and the supernatantis analyzed. BR immobilization is monitored by measuring the opticaldensity of the solution before and after incubation in the presence ofbeads.

The results are illustrated in FIG. 9 and show that the peakcharacteristic of BR at 560 nm has disappeared after the incubation,which indicates the binding of BR to the magnetic SA beads.

These results demonstrate that it is also possible to immobilizemembrane proteins to beads.

Example 3 Synthesis of a Polyhistidine-Labelled Amphipol (HISTAPol)

The structure of biotinylated amphipol (BAPol) is described in FIG. 3.

The method for synthesizing polyhistidine-labelled amphipol (HISTAPol)is derived from the method for non-functionalized amphipols (7, 16-17)and comprises three steps.

The first step comprises forming amide bonds with the carboxylic acidfunctionalities of a low molecular weight polyacrylic acid andappropriately selected alkylamines, such as isopropylamine andoctylamine.

The second step involves work-up of a histidine hexamer. This synthesisis carried out on a solid support using an automated technique involvingdouble coupling of the selectively protected monomer.

The last step comprises condensing the peptide N-termination onto theacid functionalities of the amphipol resulting from the first step ofthe synthesis. The peptide is used while still protected on its sidechains and bound to the solid support. The amounts of amphipols andpeptide used are calculated so as not to be higher than 2% ofpoly(histidine) label grafting. After deprotection and cleavage of thepeptide from the solid support, the HISTAPol is conventionally purified.The synthesis is described in FIG. 10.

Such a synthesis can be carried out with another type of amphipol oramphiphilic molecule. Furthermore, other synthesis processes may also beused for synthesizing amphiphilic molecules, and in particular amphipolscarrying a poly(histidine) label.

Such functionalized amphipols may be used to attach membrane proteinscomplexed with these amphipols to supports carrying Ni-NTA groups.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

-   1. Giess F. et al. (2004). The protein-tethered lipid bilayer: a    novel mimic of the biological membrane. Biophys. J. 87(5), 3213-20.-   2. Pal P. et al. (2005). A novel immobilization method for single    protein spFRER studies. Biophys. J. 89(2), L11-3-   3. Hoffman T. L. et al. (2000) A biosensor assay for studying    ligand-membrane receptor interactions: binding of antibodies and    HIV-1 Env to chemokine receptors. PNAS, 97, 11215-11220.-   4. Minic J. et al. (2005). Immobilization of native membrane-bound    rhodopsin on biosensor surfaces. Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 1724(3),    324-32-   5. Cooper M. A (2002) Optical biosensor in drug discovery. Nat. rev.    Drug Discov. 1, 515-528-   6. EP0946875-   7. Tribet, C, Audebert, R. & Popot, J.-L. (1996). Amphipols:    polymers that keep membrane proteins soluble in aqueous solutions.    Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 93, 15047-15050.-   8. Popot, J.-L., Berry, E. A., Charvolin, D., Creuzenet, C, Ebel, C,    Engelman, D. M., Flötenmeyer, M., Giusti, F., Gohon, Y., Herve, P.,    Hong, Q., Lakey, J. H., Leonard, K., Shuman, H. A., Timmins, P.,    Warschawski, D. E., Zito, F., Zoonens, M., Pucci, B. & Tribet, C.    (2003). Amphipols: polymeric surfactants for membrane biology    research. Cell. Mol. Life. Sci. 60, 1559-1574.-   9. Zoonens, M., Catoire, L. J., Giusti, F. & Popot, J.-L. (2005).    NMR study of a membrane protein in detergent-free aqueous solution.    Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 102, 8893-8898.-   10. Picard, M., Dahmane, T., Garrigos, M., Gauron, C, Giusti, F., le    Maire, M., Popot, J.-L. & Champeil, P. (2006). Protective and    inhibitory effects of various types of amphipols on the Ca²⁺-ATPase    from sarcoplasmic reticulum: a comparative study. Biochemistry 45,    1861-1869.-   11. Nagy, J. K., Kuhn Hoffmann, A., Keyes, M. H., Gray, D. N.,    Oxenoid, K. & Sanders, C. R. (2001). Use of amphipathic polymers to    deliver a membrane protein to lipid bilayers. FEBS Lett. 501,    115-120.-   12. Q. Xu, K. S. Lam, Protein and Chemical Microarrays: Powerful    Tools for Proteomics, J. Biomed. Biotechnol, 2003, 257, 2003.-   13. M. N. Yousaf, M. Mrksich, Diels-Aldert Reaction for the    Selective Immobilization of Protein to Electroactive Self-Assembled    Monolayers, J. Am. Chem. Soc, 121, 4286, 1999.-   14. N. K. Devaraj, G. P. Miller, W. Ebina, B. Kakaradov, J. P.    Collman, E. T. Kool, C. E. D. Chidsey, Chemoselective Covalent    Coupling of Oligonucleotide Probes to Self-Assembled Monolayers, J.    Am. Chem. Soc, 127, 6800, 2005.-   15.1. Taniguchi, A. M. Mayes, E. W. L. Chan, L. G. Griffith, A    Chemoselective Approach to Grafting Biodegradable Polyesters,    Macromolecules, 38, 216-219, 2005.-   16. Gohon, Y., Pavlov, G., Timmins, P., Tribet, C, Popot, J.-L. &    Ebel, C. (2004). Partial specific volume and solvent interactions of    amphipol A8-35. Anal. Biochem. 334, 318-334.-   17. Gohon, Y., Giusti, F., Prata, C, Charvolin, D., Timmins, P.,    Ebel, C, Tribet, C. & Popot, J.-L. (2006). Well-defined    nanoparticles formed by hydrophobic assembly of a short and    polydisperse random terpolymer, amphipol A8-35. Langmuir 22,    1281-1290.

The invention claimed is:
 1. An amphiphilic molecule comprising afunctional group providing the first half of a receptor-ligand moleculepair or of a chemical reactive pair, wherein the amphiphilic molecule isa vinyl polymer of the formula (I):

wherein: Ra₁ to Ra_(n) are the same or different, and represent ahydrogen atom, or a methyl radical; Rb₁ to Rb_(n) are different andselected from: a) a hydrophilic group selected from: i) a carboxylateradical —COO⁻M⁺, a sulfonate radical —SO₃ ⁻M⁺, or a phosphonate radical—PO₃ ⁻M⁺, wherein M⁺ is a cationic counter-ion; ii) a (C₁-C₅)alkylcarboxylate radical, a (C₁-C₅) alkylsulfonate radical, or a (C₁-C₅)alkylphosphonate radical; iii) a phenylsulfonate; iv) CONRc1Rc2, whereinRc1 and Rc2, which may be the same or different, represent a(—C(CH₂ORd1)(CH₂ORd2)(CH₂ORd3)) radical, wherein Rd1, Rd2 and Rd3represent independently a hydrogen atom, a sugar moiety, apolyoxyalkylene containing from 4 to 10 alkylene oxide units, azwitterionic radical, a primary, secondary or tertiary hydroxyalkyl—(CH₂)mOH, wherein m is within the range of 1 to 4, a (C₁-C₅)alkylcarboxylate radical, a (C₁-C₅) alkylsulfonate radical, a (C₁-C₅)alkylphosphonate radical, or a sugar moiety; v) COORe, wherein Rerepresents a sugar moiety, a primary, secondary or tertiary hydroxyalkyl—(CH₂)mOH, wherein m is within the range of 1 to 4, a polyoxyalkylenehaving 4 to 10 alkylene oxide units, a (CH₂)t-NRf1Rf2 radical, wherein tis an integer from 1 to 5, and Rf1, Rf2, which may be the same ordifferent, represent a hydrogen atom or a (C₁-C₄) alkyl radical; vi) ahydroxyl group; vii) a primary, secondary or tertiary hydroxyalkyl—(CH₂)mOH, wherein m is within the range of 1 to 4; viii) a primary,secondary, tertiary amine; ix) a quaternary ammonium; x) N-formamide orN-alkylformamide; xi) N-acetamide or N-alkylacetamide; xii)N-pyrrolidonyl; xiii) CONRg1Rg2, wherein Rg1 and Rg2, which may be thesame or different, are a hydrogen atom, a sugar moiety, apolyoxyalkylene containing from 4 to 10 alkylene oxide units, azwitterionic radical, a primary, secondary or tertiary hydroxyalkyl—(CH₂)mOH, wherein m is within the range of 1 to 4; and xiv) COORh orCONRkRl, wherein Rh represents a (C₁-C₅) alkyl radical, analkylsulfonate, or has one of the meanings given for Re or Rg1, providedthat it is not a hydrogen atom, and Rk and Rl have independently one ofthe meanings given for Rh, and additionally one of them can represent ahydrogen atom; b) a hydrophobic group selected from: i) a hydrogen atom;ii) a halogen atom; iii) a —CONH(—C(CH₂ORm1)(CH₂ORm2)(CH₂ORm3)) radical,wherein Rm1, Rm2, Rm3 are independently a linear or branched alkyl,alkenyl or alkynyl having from 3 to 18 carbon atoms, an alkylcarbamoyl(O═C—NH—Rn) or an acyl (O═C—Ro), where Rn and Ro are linear or branchedalkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl radicals having from 3 to 18 carbon atoms; iv)COORp, CORp, COSRp, C—NH—Rp or CONRq1Rq2, wherein Rp is a linear orbranched and/or cyclic alkyl, alkynyl or alkenyl radical containing from3 to 18 carbon atoms, and Rq1 and Rq2, which may be the same ordifferent, have one of the meanings given for Rp, and further either oneof them can represent a hydrogen atom; and v) a —Rr, —ORr, or —SRrradical wherein Rr represents a linear or branched and/or cyclic alkyl,alkenyl or alkynyl group containing from 3 to 18 carbon atoms; and c) anamphiphilic group selected from: i) an alkyl radical —(CH₂)m-Rs, whereinm is between 6 and 20, and Rs is a hydrophilic group chosen fromcarboxylate, sulfonate, phosphonate, sulfate, phosphate, zwitterion,ammonium, poly(oxyethylene), and sugar; ii) a poly(oxyethylene)-O-alkylradical (—(CH₂CH₂O)m-Rt) wherein Rt is a linear, branched or cyclicalkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl radical with 6 to 20 carbon atoms; iii) a COORu,CORu, COSRu, CONRvRw radical, wherein Ru is a poly(oxyethylene)-O-alkylradical (—(CH₂CH₂O)m-Rt) and wherein Rt is a linear, branched or cyclicalkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl radical with 6 to 20 carbon atoms, aglycosylalkyl radical, wherein Rv may be a hydrogen atom or has one ofthe meanings given for Ru, wherein Rw has one of the meanings given forRu; and iv) a —CONH(—C(CH₂ORx1)(CH₂ORx2)(CH₂ORx3)) radical, wherein Rx1,Rx2, Rx3 are such that one or two of these groups have one of themeanings given for Rm1, Rm2, Rm3 and one or two of these groups aredifferent from a hydrogen atom and have one of the meanings given forRd1, Rd2, Rd3, and Ru; or Rx1, Rx2, Rx3 are the same or different, andare such that at least one of the groups is different from a hydrogenatom and has one of the meanings given for Ru; n is an integer equal toor greater than 2; x₁ to x₁, represent, respectively, the percentages ofthe units,$\left( {{\sum\limits_{i = 1}^{n}\; x_{i}} = {100\%}} \right),$ whereinthe ratio of the total percentage of groups wherein Rb_(i) is ahydrophobic or amphiphilic group to the total percentage of groupswherein Rb_(i) is a hydrophilic group (∑ x_(i) + ∑ x_(j))/∑ x_(k)$\begin{matrix}{{hydrophobic}\mspace{14mu}{Rb}_{i}} & {{{amphiphilic}\mspace{14mu}{Rb}_{j}}\;} & {{hydrophilic}\mspace{14mu}{Rb}_{k}}\end{matrix}\mspace{25mu}$ is between 0.25 and 2.5; the weight averagemolecular weight (Mw) is between 500 and 100,000, and wherein thepolymer of formula (I) further comprises a molar percentage of between 0and 4% of a monomer of the formula

wherein: Raa is a hydrogen atom or a methyl radical; Rbb represents aCOORcc, or —COSRcc or —CORcc or CONRccRdd group; Rcc represents thefunctional group in the amphiphilic molecule providing a first half of areceptor-ligand pair or a first half of a chemical reactive pair; andRdd represents a (C₁-C₅) alkyl radical, an alkylsulfonate, a hydrogenatom, a sugar moiety, a primary, secondary or tertiary hydroxyalkyl—(CH₂)mOH, where m is within the range of 1 to 4, a polyoxyalkylenehaving 4 to 10 alkylene oxide units, a zwitterionic radical, a(CH₂)t-NRf1Rf2 radical, where t is an integer from 1 to 5, Rf1, Rf2 arethe same or different, and represent a hydrogen atom or a (C₁-C₄) alkylradical.
 2. The amphiphilic molecule according to claim 1 wherein theamphiphilic molecule is a polymer of the formula (II)

wherein: Ra₁, Ra₂ and Ra₃ are the same or different, and represent ahydrogen atom, or a methyl radical; Rb₁ is a hydrophilic group selectedfrom: a) a carboxylate radical —COO⁻M⁺, a sulfonate radical —SO₃ ⁻M⁺, ora phosphonate radical —PO₃ ⁻M⁺, where M⁺ is a cationic counter-ion; b) a(C₁-C₅) alkylcarboxylate radical, a (C₁-C₅) alkylsulfonate radical, or a(C₁-C₅) alkylphosphonate radical; c) a phenylsulfonate; d) CONRc1Rc2,where Rc1 and Rc2, which may be the same or different, represent a(—C(CH₂ORd1)(CH₂ORd2)(CH₂ORd3)) radical, where Rd1, Rd2 and Rd3represent, independently, a hydrogen atom, a sugar moiety, apolyoxyalkylene comprising from 4 to 10 alkylene oxide units, azwitterionic radical, a primary secondary or tertiary hydroxyalkyl—(CH₂)mOH, where m is within the range of 1 to 4, a (C₁-C₅)alkylcarboxylate radical, a (C₁-C₅) alkylsulfonate radical or a (C₁-C₅)alkylphosphonate radical, a sugar moiety Rb₂ is: a) a hydrophobic groupselected from: i) a hydrogen atom; ii) a halogen atom; iii) a—CONH(—C(CH₂ORm1)(CH₂ORm2)(CH₂ORm3)) radical, wherein Rm1, Rm2, Rm3 are,independently, a linear or branched alkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl comprisingfrom 3 to 18 carbon atoms, an alkylcarbamoyl (O═C—NH—Rn) or an acyl(O═C—Ro), where Rn and Ro are linear or branched alkyl, alkenyl oralkynyl radicals comprising from 3 to 18 carbon atoms; iv) COORp, CORP,CSRp, C—NH—Rp or CONRq1Rq2, where Rp is a linear or branched and/orcyclic alkyl, alkynyl or alkenyl radical comprising from 3 to 18 carbonatoms, and Rq1 and Rq2, which may be the same or different, have one ofthe meanings given for Rp, and further either one of them can representa hydrogen atom; v) a —Rr, —ORr, or —SRr radical where Rr represents alinear or branched and/or cyclic alkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl groupcomprising from 3 to 18 carbon atoms; or b) an amphiphilic groupselected from: i) an alkyl radical —(CH₂)m-Rs, where m is between 6 and20, Rs is a hydrophilic group selected from carboxylate, sulfonate,phosphonate, sulfate, phosphate, zwitterion, ammonium,poly(oxyethylene), and sugar; ii) a poly(oxyethylene)-O-alkyl radical(—(CH₂CH₂O)m-Rt) where Rt is a linear, branched or cyclic alkyl,alkenyl, alkynyl radical with 6 to 20 carbon atoms; iii) a COORu, CORu,COSRu, CONRvRw radical, where Ru is a poly(oxyethylene)-O-alkyl radical(—(CH₂CH₂O)m-Rt) and where Rt is a linear, branched or cyclic alkyl,alkenyl, alkynyl radical with 6 to 20 carbon atoms, a glycosylalkylradical, wherein Rv may be a hydrogen atom or has one of the meaningsgiven for Ru, wherein Rw has one of the meanings given for Ru; iv) a—CONH(—C(CH₂ORx1)(CH₂ORx2)(CH₂ORx3)) radical, wherein Rx1, Rx2, Rx3 aresuch that one or two of these groups have one of the meanings given forRm1, Rm2, Rm3, and one or two of these groups are different from ahydrogen atom and have one of the meanings given for Rd1, Rd2, Rd3, Ru;or Rx1, Rx2, Rx3 are the same or different, and are such that at leastone of the groups is different from a hydrogen atom and has one of themeanings given for Ru; Rb₃ is a hydrophilic group selected from: a)COORe, wherein Re represents a sugar moiety, a primary, secondary ortertiary hydroxyalkyl —(CH₂)mOH, where m is within the range of 1 to 4,a polyoxyalkylene, in particular polyoxyethylene, having 4 to 10alkylene oxide units, a (CH₂)t-NRf1Rf2 radical, where t is an integerfrom 1 to 5, and Rf1, Rf2, which may be the same or different, representa hydrogen atom or a (C₁-C₄) alkyl radical; b) a hydroxyl group; c) aprimary, secondary or tertiary hydroxyalkyl —(CH₂)mOH, where m is withinthe range of 1 to 4; d) a primary, secondary, or tertiary amine; e) aquaternary ammonium; f) N-formamide or N-alkylformamide; g) N-acetamideor N-alkylacetamide; h) N-pyrrolidonyl; i) CONRg1Rg2, where Rg1 and Rg2,which may be the same or different, are a hydrogen atom, a sugar moiety,a polyoxyalkylene comprising from 4 to 10 alkylene oxide units, azwitterionic radical, a primary, secondary or tertiary hydroxyalkyl—(CH₂)mOH, where m is within the range of 1 to 4 (R3); j) COORh orCONRkRl, where Rh represents a (C₁-C₅) alkyl radical, an alkylsulfonate,or has one of the meanings given for Re or Rg1, provided that it is nota hydrogen atom, and Rk, Rl have, independently, one of the meaningsgiven for Rh, and additionally one of them can represent a hydrogenatom; x1, x2, x3 represent the percentages of the units, respectively,where: a) x1 is between 20 and 90%; b) x2 is between 10 and 80%; c) x3is between 0 and 60%; and d) x₂/x₁+x₃ is between 0.25 and 2.5; whereinthe average molecular weight is between 500 and 100,000, or between 500and 50,000; further comprising a molar percentage of between 0 and 4% ofa monomer of the formula

wherein: Raa is a hydrogen atom or a methyl radical; Rbb represents aCOORcc, or —COSRcc or —CORcc or CONRccRdd group; Rcc represents thefunctional group in the amphiphilic molecule providing the first half ofthe receptor-ligand pair or the first half of a chemical reactive pair;and Rdd represents a (C₁-C₅) alkyl radical, an alkylsulfonate, ahydrogen atom, a sugar moiety, a primary, secondary or tertiaryhydroxyalkyl —(CH₂)mOH, where m is within the range of 1 to 4, apolyoxyalkylene having 4 to 10 alkylene oxide units, a zwitterionicradical, a (CH₂)t-NRf1Rf2 radical, where t is an integer from 1 to 5,Rf1, Rf2 are the same or different, and represent a hydrogen atom or a(C₁-C₄) alkyl radical.
 3. The amphiphilic molecule according to claim 2,wherein the functional group providing a first half of a receptor-ligandpair is biotin, avidin, glutathion, glutathion S-transferase,calmoduline, an ATPase, a protein kinase, a phosphodiesterase, aneurotransmitter, L-arginine, p-aminobenzamidine, a serine protease,L-lysine, plasminogen (and activator), an rRNA, AMP, ADP, ATP, acofactor enzyme, a lectin, a glucanated protein, a glucolipid, apolysaccharide, heparin, a growth and coagulation factor, a steroidreceptor, an endonuclease, a lipoprotein, a lipase, Cibacron Blue®, aNAD or NADP cofactor enzyme, albumin, a coagulation factor, aninterferon, an antigen, a hapten, an antibody, nitrilotriacetic acid(NTA), EDTA, polyhistidine, Ni-nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA), or anoligonucleotide.
 4. The amphiphilic molecule according to claim 2,wherein the functional group providing a first half of a chemicalreactive pair is a cyclopentadienyl group, an alkynyl group, analkoxylamine group, or a carbonyl group.
 5. The amphiphilic moleculeaccording to claim 2, wherein: Ra₁, Ra₂ and Ra₃ are the same ordifferent, and represent a hydrogen atom, or a methyl radical; Rb₁represents COO⁻M⁺, where M⁺ is Na⁺ or K⁺; Rb₂ represents CONRq1Rq2,where Rq1 is n-octyl, and Rq2 is H; x1 is between 70 and 80%, x2 isbetween 20 and 30%, and x3 is 0%; and the weight average molecularweight (Mw) is between 2,000 and 50,000 g·mol⁻¹.
 6. The amphiphilicmolecule according to claim 2, wherein: Ra₁, Ra₂ and Ra₃ are the same ordifferent, and represent a hydrogen atom, or a methyl radical; Rb₁represents COO⁻M⁺, where M⁺ is a cationic counter-ion; Rb₂ representsCONRq1Rq2, where Rq1 is n-octyl, and Rq2 is H; Rb₃ represents CONRkRl,where Rk and Rl represent, independently, a (C₁-C₅) alkyl radical, analkylsulfonate, a sugar moiety, a primary, secondary or tertiaryhydroxyalkyl —(CH₂)mOH, where m is within the range of 1 to 4, apolyoxyalkylene having 4 to 10 alkylene oxide units, a zwitterionicradical, a (CH₂)t-NRf1Rf2 radical, where t is an integer from 1 to 5,Rf1, Rf2 are the same or different, and represent a hydrogen atom or a(C₁-C₄) alkyl radical, and further either one of Rk and Rl can representa hydrogen atom; x1 is between 30 and 40%, x2 is between 20 and 30%, andx3 is between 30 and 50%; and the weight average molecular weight (Mw)is between 2,000 and 50,000 g·mol⁻¹.
 7. The amphiphilic moleculeaccording to claim 1, wherein the functional group providing a firsthalf of a receptor-ligand pair is biotin, avidin, glutathion, glutathionS-transferase, calmoduline, an ATPase, a protein kinase, aphosphodiesterase, a neurotransmitter, L-arginine, p-aminobenzamidine, aserine protease, L-lysine, plasminogen (and activator), an rRNA, AMP,ADP, ATP, a cofactor enzyme, a lectin, a glucanated protein, aglucolipid, a polysaccharide, heparin, a growth and coagulation factor,a steroid receptor, an endonuclease, a lipoprotein, a lipase, CibacronBlue®, a NAD or NADP cofactor enzyme, albumin, a coagulation factor, aninterferon, an antigen, a hapten, an antibody, nitrilotriacetic acid(NTA), EDTA, polyhistidine, Ni-nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA), or anoligonucleotide.
 8. The amphiphilic molecule according to claim 1,wherein the functional group providing a first half of a chemicalreactive pair is a cyclopentadienyl group, an alkynyl group, analkoxylamine group, or a carbonyl group.
 9. A kit for preparing aproduct comprising a support and at least one membrane protein attachedto the surface thereof through an amphiphilic molecule with which saidmembrane protein is complexed, the binding to the support being donethrough the amphiphilic molecule, comprising: a support; and anamphiphilic molecule; wherein: the amphiphilic molecule is a vinylpolymer of formula (I):

wherein: Ra₁ to Ra_(n) are the same or different, and represent ahydrogen atom, or a methyl radical; Rb₁ to Rb_(n) are different andselected from: a) a hydrophilic group selected from: i) a carboxylateradical —COO⁻M⁺, a sulfonate radical —SO₃ ⁻M⁺, or a phosphonate radical—PO₃ ⁻M⁺, wherein M⁺ is a cationic counter-ion; ii) a (C₁-C₅)alkylcarboxylate radical, a (C₁-C₅) alkylsulfonate radical, or a (C₁-C₅)alkylphosphonate radical; iii) a phenylsulfonate; iv) CONRc1Rc2, whereinRc1 and Rc2, which may be the same or different, represent a(—C(CH₂ORd1)(CH₂ORd2)(CH₂ORd3)) radical, wherein Rd1, Rd2 and Rd3represent independently a hydrogen atom, a sugar moiety, apolyoxyalkylene containing from 4 to 10 alkylene oxide units, azwitterionic radical, a primary, secondary or tertiary hydroxyalkyl—(CH₂)mOH, wherein m is within the range of 1 to 4, a (C₁-C₅)alkylcarboxylate radical, a (C₁-C₅) alkylsulfonate radical, a (C₁-C₅)alkylphosphonate radical, or a sugar moiety; v) COORe, wherein Rerepresents a sugar moiety, a primary, secondary or tertiary hydroxyalkyl—(CH₂)mOH, wherein m is within the range of 1 to 4, a polyoxyalkylenehaving 4 to 10 alkylene oxide units, a (CH₂)t-NRf1Rf2 radical, wherein tis an integer from 1 to 5, and Rf1, Rf2, which may be the same ordifferent, represent a hydrogen atom or a (C₁-C₄) alkyl radical; vi) ahydroxyl group; vii) a primary, secondary or tertiary hydroxyalkyl—(CH₂)mOH, wherein m is within the range of 1 to 4; viii) a primary,secondary, tertiary amine; ix) a quaternary ammonium; x) N-formamide orN-alkylformamide; xi) N-acetamide or N-alkylacetamide; xii)N-pyrrolidonyl; xiii) CONRg1Rg2, wherein Rg1 and Rg2, which may be thesame or different, are a hydrogen atom, a sugar moiety, apolyoxyalkylene containing from 4 to 10 alkylene oxide units, azwitterionic radical, a primary, secondary or tertiary hydroxyalkyl—(CH₂)mOH, wherein m is within the range of 1 to 4; and xiv) COORh orCONRkRl, wherein Rh represents a (C₁-C₅) alkyl radical, analkylsulfonate, or has one of the meanings given for Re or Rg1, providedthat it is not a hydrogen atom, and Rk and Rl have independently one ofthe meanings given for Rh, and additionally one of them can represent ahydrogen atom; b) a hydrophobic group selected from: i) a hydrogen atom;ii) a halogen atom; iii) a —CONH(—C(CH₂ORm1)(CH₂ORm2)(CH₂ORm3)) radical,wherein Rm1, Rm2, Rm3 are independently a linear or branched alkyl,alkenyl or alkynyl having from 3 to 18 carbon atoms, an alkylcarbamoyl(O═C—NH—Rn) or an acyl (O═C—Ro), where Rn and Ro are linear or branchedalkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl radicals having from 3 to 18 carbon atoms; iv)COORp, CORp, COSRp, C—NH—Rp or CONRq1Rq2, wherein Rp is a linear orbranched and/or cyclic alkyl, alkynyl or alkenyl radical containing from3 to 18 carbon atoms, and Rq1 and Rq2, which may be the same ordifferent, have one of the meanings given for Rp, and further either oneof them can represent a hydrogen atom; and v) a —Rr, —ORr, or —SRrradical wherein Rr represents a linear or branched and/or cyclic alkyl,alkenyl or alkynyl group containing from 3 to 18 carbon atoms; and c) anamphiphilic group selected from: i) an alkyl radical —(CH₂)m-Rs, whereinm is between 6 and 20, and Rs is a hydrophilic group chosen fromcarboxylate, sulfonate, phosphonate, sulfate, phosphate, zwitterion,ammonium, poly(oxyethylene), and sugar; ii) a poly(oxyethylene)-O-alkylradical (—(CH₂CH₂O)m-Rt) wherein Rt is a linear, branched or cyclicalkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl radical with 6 to 20 carbon atoms; iii) a COORu,CORu, COSRu, CONRvRw radical, wherein Ru is a poly(oxyethylene)-O-alkylradical (—(CH₂CH₂O)m-Rt) and wherein Rt is a linear, branched or cyclicalkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl radical with 6 to 20 carbon atoms, aglycosylalkyl radical, wherein Rv may be a hydrogen atom or has one ofthe meanings given for Ru, wherein Rw has one of the meanings given forRu; and iv) a —CONH(—C(CH₂ORx1)(CH₂ORx2)(CH₂ORx3)) radical, wherein Rx1,Rx2, Rx3 are such that one or two of these groups have one of themeanings given for Rm1, Rm2, Rm3 and one or two of these groups aredifferent from a hydrogen atom and have one of the meanings given forRd1, Rd2, Rd3, and Ru; or Rx1, Rx2, Rx3 are the same or different, andare such that at least one of the groups is different from a hydrogenatom and has one of the meanings given for Ru; n is an integer equal toor greater than 2; x₁ to x_(n) represent, respectively, the percentagesof the units,$\left( {{\sum\limits_{i = 1}^{n}\; x_{i}} = {100\%}} \right),$ whereinthe ratio of the total percentage of groups wherein Rb_(i) is ahydrophobic or amphiphilic group to the total percentage of groupswherein Rb_(i) is a hydrophilic group$\left( {{\sum\; x_{i}} + {\sum\; x_{j}}} \right)/{\sum\;{x_{k}\begin{matrix}{{hydrophobic}\mspace{14mu}{Rb}_{i}} & {{{amphiphilic}\mspace{14mu}{Rb}_{j}}\;} & {{hydrophilic}\mspace{14mu}{Rb}_{k}}\end{matrix}}}$ is between 0.25 and 2.5; and the weight averagemolecular weight (Mw) is between 500 and 100,000, wherein the binding ofthe amphiphilic molecule to the support is mediated by a specificreceptor-ligand binding between at least one functional group in theamphiphilic molecule and at least one functional group at the supportsurface, or a covalent bond between at least one reactive functionalgroup in the amphiphilic molecule and at least one reactive functionalgroup at the support surface, and wherein the polymer of formula (I)further comprises a molar percentage of between 0 and 4% of a monomer ofthe formula

wherein: Raa is a hydrogen atom or a methyl radical; Rbb represents aCOORcc, or —COSRcc or —CORcc or CONRccRdd group; Rcc represents thefunctional group in the amphiphilic molecule providing a first half of areceptor-ligand pair or a first half of a chemical reactive pair; andRdd represents a (C₁-C₅) alkyl radical, an alkylsulfonate, a hydrogenatom, a sugar moiety, a primary, secondary or tertiary hydroxyalkyl—(CH₂)mOH, where m is within the range of 1 to 4, a polyoxyalkylenehaving 4 to 10 alkylene oxide units, a zwitterionic radical, a(CH₂)t-NRf1Rf2 radical, where t is an integer from 1 to 5, Rf1, Rf2 arethe same or different, and represent a hydrogen atom or a (C₁-C₄) alkylradical.
 10. The kit according to claim 9 wherein the amphiphilicmolecule is a polymer of the formula (II)

wherein: Ra₁, Ra₂ and Ra₃ are the same or different, and represent ahydrogen atom, or a methyl radical; Rb₁ is a hydrophilic group selectedfrom: a) a carboxylate radical —COO⁻M⁺, a sulfonate radical —SO₃ ⁻M or aphosphonate radical —PO₃ ⁻M⁺, where M⁺ is a cationic counter-ion; b) a(C₁-C₅) alkylcarboxylate radical, a (C₁-C₅) alkylsulfonate radical, or a(C₁-C₅) alkylphosphonate radical; c) a phenylsulfonate; d) CONRc1Rc2,where Rc1 and Rc2, which may be the same or different, represent a(—C(CH₂ORd1)(CH₂ORd2)(CH₂ORd3)) radical, where Rd1, Rd2 and Rd3represent, independently, a hydrogen atom, a sugar moiety, apolyoxyalkylene containing from 4 to 10 alkylene oxide units, azwitterionic radical, a primary secondary or tertiary hydroxyalkyl—(CH₂)mOH, where m is within the range of 1 to 4, a (C₁-C₅)alkylcarboxylate radical, a (C₁-C₅) alkylsulfonate radical or a (C₁-C₅)alkylphosphonate radical, a sugar moiety Rb₂ is: a) a hydrophobic groupselected from: i) a hydrogen atom; ii) a halogen atom; iii) a—CONH(—C(CH₂ORm1)(CH₂ORm2)(CH₂ORm3)) radical, wherein Rm1, Rm2, Rm3 are,independently, a linear or branched alkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl comprisingfrom 3 to 18 carbon atoms, an alkylcarbamoyl (O═C—NH—Rn), or an acyl(O═C—Ro), where Rn and Ro are linear or branched alkyl, alkenyl oralkynyl radicals having from 3 to 18 carbon atoms; iv) COORp, CORP,CSRp, C—NH—Rp or CONRq1Rq2, where Rp is a linear or branched and/orcyclic alkyl, alkynyl or alkenyl radical comprising from 3 to 18 carbonatoms, and Rq1 and Rq2, which may be the same or different, have one ofthe meanings given for Rp, and further either one of them can representa hydrogen atom; v) a —Rr, —ORr, or —SRr radical where Rr represents alinear or branched and/or cyclic alkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl groupcomprising from 3 to 18 carbon atoms; or b) an amphiphilic groupselected from: i) an alkyl radical —(CH₂)m-Rs, where m is between 6 and20, Rs is a hydrophilic group selected from carboxylate, sulfonate,phosphonate, sulfate, phosphate, zwitterion, ammonium,poly(oxyethylene), and sugar; ii) a poly(oxyethylene)-O-alkyl radical(—(CH₂CH₂O)m-Rt) where Rt is a linear, branched or cyclic alkyl,alkenyl, alkynyl radical with 6 to 20 carbon atoms; iii) a COORu, CORu,COSRu, CONRvRw radical, where Ru is a poly(oxyethylene)-O-alkyl radical(—(CH₂CH₂O)m-Rt) and where Rt is a linear, branched or cyclic alkyl,alkenyl, alkynyl radical with 6 to 20 carbon atoms, a glycosylalkylradical, wherein Rv may be a hydrogen atom or has one of the meaningsgiven for Ru, wherein Rw has one of the meanings given for Ru; iv) a—CONH(—C(CH₂ORx1)(CH₂ORx2)(CH₂ORx3)) radical, wherein Rx1, Rx2, Rx3 aresuch that one or two of these groups have one of the meanings given forRm1, Rm2, Rm3, and one or two of these groups are different from ahydrogen atom and have one of the meanings given for Rd1, Rd2, Rd3, Ru;or wherein Rx1, Rx2, Rx3 are the same or different, and are such that atleast one of the groups is different from a hydrogen atom and has one ofthe meanings given for Ru; Rb₃ is a hydrophilic group selected from: a)COORe, wherein Re represents a sugar moiety, a primary, secondary ortertiary hydroxyalkyl —(CH₂)mOH, where m is within the range of 1 to 4,a polyoxyalkylene comprising 4 to 10 alkylene oxide units, a(CH₂)t-NRf1Rf2 radical, where t is an integer from 1 to 5, and Rf1, Rf2,which may be the same or different, represent a hydrogen atom or a(C₁-C₄) alkyl radical; b) a hydroxyl group; c) a primary, secondary ortertiary hydroxyalkyl —(CH₂)mOH, where m is within the range of 1 to 4;d) a primary, secondary, or tertiary amine; e) a quaternary ammonium; f)N-formamide or N-alkylformamide; g) N-acetamide or N-alkylacetamide; h)N-pyrrolidonyl; i) CONRg1Rg2, where Rg1 and Rg2, which may be the sameor different, are a hydrogen atom, a sugar moiety, a polyoxyalkylene, inparticular polyoxyethylene, comprising from 4 to 10 alkylene oxideunits, a zwitterionic radical, a primary, secondary or tertiaryhydroxyalkyl —(CH₂)mOH, where m is within the range of 1 to 4 (R3); j)COORh or CONRkRl, where Rh represents a (C₁-C₅) alkyl radical, analkylsulfonate, or has one of the meanings given for Re or Rg1, providedthat it is not a hydrogen atom, and Rk, Rl have, independently, one ofthe meanings given for Rh, and additionally one of them can represent ahydrogen atom; x1, x2, x3 represent the percentages of the units,respectively, where: a) x1 is between 20 and 90%; b) x2 is between 10and 80%; c) x3 is between 0 and 60%; and d) x₂/x₁+x₃ is between 0.25 and2.5; wherein the average molecular weight is between 500 and 100,000, orbetween 500 and 50,000; further comprising a molar percentage of between0 and 4% of a monomer of the formula

wherein: Raa is a hydrogen atom or a methyl radical; Rbb represents aCOORcc, or —COSRcc or —CORcc or CONRccRdd group; Rcc represents thefunctional group in the amphiphilic molecule providing the first half ofthe receptor-ligand pair or the first half of a chemical reactive pair;and Rdd represents a (C₁-C₅) alkyl radical, an alkylsulfonate, ahydrogen atom, a sugar moiety, a primary, secondary or tertiaryhydroxyalkyl —(CH₂)mOH, where m is within the range of 1 to 4, apolyoxyalkylene having 4 to 10 alkylene oxide units, a zwitterionicradical, a (CH₂)t-NRf1Rf2 radical, where t is an integer from 1 to 5,Rf1, Rf2 are the same or different, and represent a hydrogen atom or a(C₁-C₄) alkyl radical.
 11. The kit according to claim 10 wherein: theamphiphilic molecule further comprises at least one functional groupproviding the first half of a receptor-ligand molecule pair; the supportfurther comprises at least one functional group attached to the surfacethereof providing the second half of said receptor-ligand molecule pair;and the binding of the amphiphilic molecule to the support is mediatedthrough a specific receptor-ligand binding between the functionalgroup(s) in the amphiphilic molecule and the functional group(s)attached to the support.
 12. The kit according to claim 11 wherein thereceptor-ligand pair (functional group of the amphiphilic vinylpolymer/functional group attached to the support) is chosen from thefollowing pairs: (biotin/avidin), (glutathion/glutathion S-transferase,glutathion-binding proteins, or fusion proteins including glutathionS-transferase), (calmoduline/ATPase, protein kinase, phosphodiesterase,or neurotransmitter), (L-arginine or p-aminobenzamidine/serineprotease), (L-lysine/plasminogen (and activator) or rRNA), (AMP, ADP, orATP/Cofactor enzyme), (lectin/glucanated protein, glucolipid, orpolysaccharide), (heparin/growth and coagulation factor, steroidreceptor, endonuclease, lipoprotein, or lipase), and (Cibacron Blue®/NADor NADP cofactor enzymes, albumin, coagulation factor, or interferon),(antigen/antibody), (hapten/antibody), (antibody/antigen),(antibody/hapten), (nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA)/transition metal),(EDTA/transition metal), (phenylboronic acid (APB)/salicylhydroxamicacid (ASH)), (oligonucleotide/complementary oligonucleotide),(polyhistidine/Ni-nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA)), and the correspondingreversed pairs.
 13. The kit according to claim 9 wherein: theamphiphilic molecule further comprises at least one functional groupproviding the first half of a receptor-ligand molecule pair; the supportfurther comprises at least one functional group attached to the surfacethereof providing the second half of said receptor-ligand molecule pair;and the binding of the amphiphilic molecule to the support is mediatedthrough a specific receptor-ligand binding between the functionalgroup(s) in the amphiphilic molecule and the functional group(s)attached to the support.
 14. The kit according to claim 13 wherein thereceptor-ligand pair (functional group of the amphiphilic vinylpolymer/functional group attached to the support) is chosen from thefollowing pairs: (biotin/avidin), (glutathion/glutathion S-transferase,glutathion-binding proteins, or fusion proteins including glutathionS-transferase), (calmoduline/ATPase, protein kinase, phosphodiesterase,or neurotransmitter), (L-arginine or p-aminobenzamidine/serineprotease), (L-lysine/plasminogen (and activator) or rRNA), (AMP, ADP, orATP/Cofactor enzyme), (lectin/glucanated protein, glucolipid, orpolysaccharide), (heparin/growth and coagulation factor, steroidreceptor, endonuclease, lipoprotein, or lipase), and (Cibacron Blue®/NADor NADP cofactor enzymes, albumin, coagulation factor, or interferon),(antigen/antibody), (hapten/antibody), (nitrilotriacetic acid(NTA)/transition metal), (EDTA/transition metal), (phenylboronic acid(APB)/salicylhydroxamic acid (ASH)), or (oligonucleotide/complementaryoligonucleotide), (polyhistidine/Ni-nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA)), andthe corresponding reversed pairs.
 15. The kit according to claim 9wherein: the amphiphilic molecule further comprises at least onefunctional group providing the first half of a chemical reactive pair;the support further comprises at least one functional group attached tothe surface thereof providing the second half of said chemical reactivepair; and the binding of the amphiphilic molecule to the support iscarried out by chemically reacting the functional group(s) in theamphiphilic molecule with the functional group(s) attached to thesupport.
 16. The kit according to claim 15 wherein the chemical reactivepair (functional group of the amphiphilic vinyl polymer/functional groupattached to the support) is chosen from the following pairs:(cyclopentadienyl group/quinone derivative), (alkynyl group/azidegroup), (alkoxy)amine group/carbonyl group), and (carbonylgroup/alkoxylamine group).
 17. The kit according to claim 15 wherein:the amphiphilic molecule further comprises at least one functional groupproviding the first half of a chemical reactive pair; the supportfurther comprises at least one functional group attached to the surfacethereof providing the second half of said chemical reactive pair; andthe binding of the amphiphilic molecule to the support is carried out bychemically reacting the functional group(s) in the amphiphilic moleculewith the functional group(s) attached to the support.
 18. The kitaccording to claim 17 wherein the chemical reactive pair (functionalgroup of the amphiphilic vinyl polymer/functional group attached to thesupport) is chosen from the following pairs: (cyclopentadienylgroup/quinone derivative), (alkynyl group/azide group), (alkoxylaminegroup/carbonyl group), and (carbonyl group/alkoxylamine group).
 19. Thekit according to claim 10, wherein: Ra₁, Ra₂ and Ra₃ are the same ordifferent, and represent a hydrogen atom, or a methyl radical; Rb₁represents COO⁻M⁺, where M⁺ is Na⁺ or K⁺; Rb₂ represents CONRq1Rq2,where Rq1 is n-octyl, and Rq2 is H; x1 is between 70 and 80%, x2 isbetween 20 and 30%, and x3 is 0%; and the weight average molecularweight (Mw) is between 2,000 and 50,000 g·mol⁻¹.
 20. The kit accordingto claim 10, wherein: Ra₁, Ra₂ and Ra₃ are the same or different, andrepresent a hydrogen atom, or a methyl radical; Rb₁ represents COO⁻M⁺,where M⁺ is a cationic counter-ion; Rb₂ represents CONRq1Rq2, where Rq1is n-octyl, and Rq2 is H; Rb₃ represents CONRkRl, where Rk and Rlrepresent, independently, a (C₁-C₅) alkyl radical, an alkylsulfonate, asugar moiety, a primary, secondary or tertiary hydroxyalkyl —(CH₂)mOH,where m is within the range of 1 to 4, a polyoxyalkylene having 4 to 10alkylene oxide units, a zwitterionic radical, a (CH₂)t-NRf1Rf2 radical,where t is an integer from 1 to 5, Rf1, Rf2 are the same or different,and represent a hydrogen atom or a (C₁-C₄) alkyl radical, and furthereither one of Rk and Rl can represent a hydrogen atom; x1 is between 30and 40%, x2 is between 20 and 30%, and x3 is between 30 and 50%; and theweight average molecular weight (Mw) is between 2,000 and 50,000g·mol⁻¹.